II 


lEx  Hthrta 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  hook 

Because  it  has  heen  said 
"Sver'thing  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  hook." 


THE 

BATTLE  OF  LONG  ISLAND, 

WITH 

PRECEDING  AND  SUBSEQUENT  EVENTS. 


r 


MEMOIRS 


0«0  Island  ||i5it0nal  ^mtii 


VOLUME  II 


THE  BATTLE  OF  LONG  ISLAND; 


PEECEDING  AND  SUBSEQUENT  EVENTS. 


BROOKLYN,  N.T.: 
PUBLISHED   BY   THE  SOCIETY. 
1  8  6  9. 


SANFORD  PUBLICATION  FUND. 


COMMITTEE  ON  PUBLICATION. 


RICHARD  S.  STORRS,  JR.,  ALDEN  J.  SPOONER, 

J.  CARSON  BREVOORT,  MILAN  HULBERT, 

CHARLES  E.  WEST. 


EDITION. 


1,000  COPIES,  OCTAVO. 
100  COPIES,  ROYAL  OCTAVO. 


OFFICEES 

OF  THE 

1-70. 


PreMent,  J.  CARSON  BREVOORT. 

First  Vice-President,    -----   JOHN  GREENWOOD. 

Second  Vice-President,  CHARLES  E.  WEST. 

Foreign  Corresponding  Secretary,  -  -  HENRY  C.  MURPHY. 
Home  Corresponding  Secretary,  -  -  -  JOHN  WIN  SLOW. 
Recording  Secretary,    -      -      -      -  CHAUNCEY  L.  MITCHELL. 

Treasurer,  MILAN  HULBERT. 

Librarian,    .......      GEORGE  HANNAH. 


DIKECTORS. 

J.  CARSON  BREVOORT,  S.  B.  CHITTENDEN, 

R.  S.  STORRS,  Jr.,  D.D.,  HON.  JOHN  GREENWOOD, 

A.  ABBOTT  LOW,  ALFRED  S.  BARNES, 

CHARLES  E.  WEST,  LL.D.  HON.  HENRY  C.  MURPHY, 

JOSIAH  O.  LOW,  CHARLES  STORRS, 

CHARLES  CONGDON,  HENRY  SHELDON, 

MILAN  HULBERT,  ETHELBERT  S.  MILLS, 

THOMAS  W.  FIELD,  W.  I.  BUDINGTON,  D.D., 

CHAUNCEY  L.  MITCHELL,  M.D.,  ELIAS  LEWIS,  Jr., 

JOSHUA  M.  VAN  COTT,  JOHN  WINSLOW, 

A.  N.  LITTLEJOHN,  D.D.,  THEODORE  L.  MASON,  M.D. 

JAMES  H.  PRENTICE,  HENRY  E.  PIERREPONT, 
ALDEN  J.  SPOONER. 


EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 


R.  S.  STORRS,  Jr.,  D.D.,  Chairman. 
JOSHUA  M.  VAN  COTT,  JAMES  H.  PRENTICE, 

ALDEN  J.  SPOONER,  HENRY  SHELDON, 

ETHELBERT  S.  MILLS,  JOSIAH  O.  LOW, 

GEORGE  HANNAH,  Secretary. 


COUNSELLORS  OF  THE 


SOCIETY. 


Kings  County  : 

HON.  JOUN  A.  LOTT, 
FRANCIS  VINTON,  D.D., 
HON.  TEUNIS  G  BERGEN, 
FREDERICK  A.  FARLEY,  D.D., 
BENJAMIN  D.  SILLIMAN, 
GEORGE  W.  PARSONS, 


Queens  County  : 

WILLIAM  CULLEN  BRYANT, 
HENRY  ONDERDONK,  Jr., 
HENRY  W.  EASTMAN, 
JOHN  HAROLD, 
L.  BRADFORD  PRINCE, 
SOLOMON  D.  TOWNSEND. 


Suffolk  County: 

HON.  SELAH  B.  STRONG, 
JAMES  H.  TUTHILL. 
HON.  J.  LAWRENCE  SMITH, 
REV.  EPHER  WHITAKER, 
WILLIAM  S.  PELLETREAU, 
HENRY  P.  HEDGES. 


HONORARY  AND  CORRESPONDING  MEMBERS. 


S.  AUSTIN  ALLIBONE,  PhUadelphia,  Pa. 

HON.  SAMUEL  GREENE  ARNOLD,     ...        -  Providence,  R.  I. 

HON.  GEORGE  BANCROFT,  New  York. 

HON.  JOflN  RUSSELL  BARTLETT,    -        -        -        -  Providence,  R.  1. 

REV.  CALEB  DA^^S  BRADLEE,  Boston,  Mass. 

HON.  GEORGE  BRLS'LEY,  Hartford,  Ct. 

HON.  JOHN  ROMEYN  BRODHEAD,        ...        -       New  York. 

CHARLES  I.  BUSHNELL,  New  York, 

HON.  GEORGE  W.  CLDsTON,  Buffalo. 

PROF.  JOSLIH  P.  COOKE,  Harvard  CoUege. 

HENRY  B.  DAWSON,  Morrisania. 

CHARLES  DEANE,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

MAJOR-GEN.  JOHN  WATTS  DE  PEYSTER,  -  -  -  Neio  York. 
REV.  HENRY  M.  DEXTER,  D.D.,       ...        -       Boston,  Mass. 

SAMUEL  G.  DRAKE,   -        -  Boston,  Mass. 

EVERT  A.  DUYCKU^CK,  New  York. 

HON.  RICHARD  FROTHINGHAM,  Boston,  Mass. 

HON.  CHARLES  GAYARRE,  New  Orleans,  La. 

THEODORE  GILL,  Washington.  D.  C. 

SAMUEL  A.  GREEN,  M  D.,  Boston,  Mass. 

HON.  GEORGE  WASHINGTON  GREENE,         -  Ikist  Greenwich,  R.  1. 

REV.  EDWARD  E^TIRETT  HALE,  D.D.,      -         -        -        Boston,  Mass. 

CHARLES  H.  HART,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SAMUEL  F.  HAVEN,  Worcester,  Mass. 

PROF.  JOSEPH  HENRY,  Washington,  D.  C. 

FRANCIS  S.  HOFFMAN,  New  York. 

JOSEPH  JACKSON  HOWARD,       .        .        .        .  Greenwich,  England. 

CHARLES  HAVENS  HL^T,  New  York. 

PIERRE  M.  IR\aNG,  New  York. 

WILLIAM  ALFRED  JONES,  East  Guilford,  Ct. 

BENSON  J.  LOSSING,  Poughkeepsie. 

JOHN  A.  McAllister,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

HON.  BRANTZ  MAYER,  Baltimore,  Md. 

GEORGE  HEN'RY  MOORE,         -  New  York. 

HON  J.  LOTHROP  MOTLEY,  Boston,  Mass. 

REV.  EDWARD  DUFFIELD  NEILL,     -         -         -         -      St.  Paul,  Min. 

E.  B.  O'CALLAGHAN,  Albany. 

HENRY  ONDERDONK,  JR.,  Jamaica. 

NATHANTEL  PAINE.  Worcester,  Mass. 

HON.  JOHN  GORHAM  PALFREY,       .        .        .        .       Boston,  Mass. 

FRANCIS  PARKMAN.  Boston,  Mass. 

D.  WILLIAMS  PATTERSON,     -----     Newark  VaUey. 


ii        HONORARY  AND  CORRESPONDING  MEMBERS. 

NICOLAS  PIKE,  U.S.  ConstU,  Mauritius.-^ 

REV.  S.  IRENAEUS  PRIME,  D.D.,  New  York. 

MAJOR-GEN.  JOHN  MEREDITH  READ,  JR.,    ....  Albany. 

WINTHROP  SARGENT,  New  York. 

HON.  HORATIO  SEYMOUR,  Utica. 

JOHN  G.  SHEA,  New  York. 

BUCKINGHAM  SMITH,  St.  Augustine,  Fa. 

WILLIAM  SWINTON,  New  York. 

HON.  J.  HAMMOND  TRUMBULL,  Hartford,  Ct. 

HON.  WILLIAM  H.  TUTHILL,  Tipton,  Iowa. 

REV.  JOHN  WADDINGTON,  D.D.,-        -        -        -      London,  England. 

HON.  EMORY  WASHBURN,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

HON.  ANDREW  D.  WHITE,  Ithaca. 

WILLIAM  A.  WHITEHEAD,  Newark,  N.  J. 

HON.  WILLIAM  WILLIS,  Portland,  Me. 

HON.  ROBERT  C.  WINTHROP,  Boston,  Mass. 

THOMAS  H.  WYNNE,  Richmond,  Va. 


THE  LONG  ISLAND  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 


The  Directors  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society  have  great 
pleasure  in  presenting  to  the  members  of  that  institution,  and  to  all 
interested  in  historical  research,  the  second  volume  of  the  Memoirs 
of  the  Society.  The  subject  treated  in  it  is  one  of  peculiar  and 
permanent  interest,  not  only  to  those  connected  by  birth  or  resi- 
dence with  Long  Island,  but  to  all  students  of  American  History. 
And  it  must  be  regarded  as  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  the  col- 
lection of  Documents  connected  with  the  Revolutionary  movements 
on  this  Island,  and  the  preparation  of  the  extended  and  graphic 
Introductory  Narrative  which  in  great  part  is  founded  upon  these 
Documents,  have  been  committed  to  hands  so  diligent  and  so  capa- 
ble as  those  the  result  of  whose  labors  is  here  presented. 

It  is  of  course  not  to  be  expected  that  all  the  views,  of  men  and 
of  their  actions,  which  are  set  forth  by  Mr.  Field,  in  his  vigorous 
and  eloquent  Introduction,  will  command  the  assent  of  all  readers  of 
the  volume.  But  the  Directors  are  confident  that  even  those  who 
may  diflfer  from  him  most  widely  will  recognize  the  zeal  which  has 
animated  his  efforts,  the  industry  which  has  marked  them,  and  the 
kindness  of  spirit,  and  the  general  good  judgment,  by  which  they 
have  been  guided.  If,  at  any  points,  his  conclusions  in  regard  to 
the  important  yet  sometimes  obscure  events  which  have  furnished 
his  theme  should  be  found  to  be  erroneous,  the  Documents,  to  which 
his  Narrative  is  introductory,  will  probably  supply  the  means  for 
the  proof  and  illustration  of  the  fact. 

B 


X  LONG  ISLAND  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 

The  Directors  rejoice  to  believe  that,  by  the  publication  of  this 
volume,  those  now  living  in  the  populous  and  prosperous  city  over 
whose  then  scarcely  occupied  territory  the  tide  of  battle  once  surged 
and  swung,  will  find  a  fresh  interest  attaching  hereafter  to  localities 
that  have  hitherto  seemed  commonplace,  and  will  feel  more  deeply 
at  how  great  a  price,  of  heroism  and  of  life,  their  present  heritage ' 
of  liberty  and  of  peace  was  purchased  for  them. 

Since  the  first  volume  of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Society  was  pub- 
lished, in  1867,  the  institution,  which  was  then  just  completing  the 
fourth  year  of  its  existence,  has  steadily  advanced,  in  the  number 
of  its  members,  in  the  amount  of  its  funds,  and  in  the  extent,  variety, 
and  value  of  its  collections. 

It  numbers  at  present  300  life  members,  958  annual  members, 
with  59  honorary  and  corresponding  members. 

Its  Library  has  been  increased  by  numerous  additions,  many  of 
them  rare  and  costly ;  and  it  now  contains  more  than  seventeen 
thousand  volumes,  with  more  than  nineteen  thousand  unbound 
volumes  and  pamphlets.  As  a  collection  for  general  use,  in  the 
way  of  reference  and  consultation,  it  ranks  already  among  the  best 
in  the  State.  It  is  especially  rich  in  the  departments  of  American 
History  and  Biography,  French  History,  the  history  of  Fine  Art, 
of  the  Natural  Sciences,  and  of  the  Science  and  Art  of  Medicine. 
Its  range,  however,  is  very  wide,  and  students  in  almost  any  depart- 
ment of  research  will  find  something  in  it  to  reward  their  attention, 
and  to  assist  their  eflForts. 

To  the  Medical  department  of  the  Library  large  additions  have 
been  made,  during  the  year  past,  through  the  liberal  contributions 
of  members  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society,  and  through  the 
gift,  by  Mrs.  De  Witt  C.  Enos,  of  the  large  and  well  selected  library 
of  her  deceased  husband,  a  distinguished  and  lamented  physician 
in  the  city. 


LONG  ISLAND  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY.  xi 

Mrs.  Maria  Gary  has  added  to  our  permanent  funds  the  sum  of 
twenty-five  hundred  dollars,  the  interest  of  which  is  to  be  applied  to 
maintain  and  enlarge  the  department  of  American  Biography,  ia 
memory  of  her  husband,  the  late  Mr.  Williapi  H.  Gary. 

Original  copies  of  the  Musee  Frangais,  the  Musee  Royal,  the 
Orleans  G-allery,  the  Madrid  Gallery,  with  many  other  extensive 
and  costly  illustrated  works,  have  been  added  to  our  collections  in 
the  department  of  Fine  Art. 

The  catalogue  of  the  Library  has  been  completed,  and  whatever 
is  to  be  found  upon  our  shelves  is  thus  brought  within  the  easy 
reach  of  any  who  may  seek  it. 

Valuable  contributions  have  at  the  same  time  been  made  to  the 
Museum  of  the  Society,  of  relics  and  memorials,  specimens  of  na- 
tural history,  paintings  and  curiosities ;  and  a  collection  of  ancient 
and  modern  coins  and  medals  has  been  gathered  and  presented,  by 
Mr.  Charles  Storrs. 

The  Manuscript  collections  of  the  Society  have  been  greatly  en- 
riched in  the  two  years  past,  especially  by  two  very  important 
additions  :  the  first,  of  an  extended  series  of  letters  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary  period,  covering  the  years  1773  to  1790 ;  and  the  second,  of 
a  series  of  123  original  letters  of  Washington,  written  while  he  was 
residing  as  President  at  Philadelphia,  and  relating  principally  to 
the  management  of  his  estates  during  his  absence  from  them. 

The  letters  last  named  abound  in  curious  details,  illustrating  th  e 
times,  and  the  character  of  the  writer.  They  had  been  collected 
by  the  Hon.  Edward  Everett,  who  valued  them  highly,  and  intended 
to  annotate  and  publish  them.  After  his  death,  they  were  pur- 
chased for  this  Society,  and  presented  to  it,  by  its  president,  Mr. 
James  Garson  Brevoort. 

The  collection  previously  mentioned  had  been  made,  and  to  some 
extent  annotated,  by  Mr.  W.  Gilmore  Simms,  of  South  Carolina.  It 


Xii  LONG  ISLAND  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 

is  embraced  in  five  large  volumes,  and  contains  a  large  part  of  the 
correspondence  of  Henry  Laurens,  Esq.,  president  of  the  Conti- 
ijental  Congress,  and  of  his  brilliant  and  accomplished  son,  Col. 
John  Laurens,  with  many  interesting  letters  from  Richard  Henry 
Lee,  John  Adams,  John  Jay,  Generals  Gates,  Lincoln,  and  Wayne, 
Lord  Stirling,  Baron  Steuben,  and  others.  This  collection  was  pur- 
chased from  Mr.  Simms,  and  presented  to  the  Society,  by  Messrs. 
A.  A.  Low,  H.  E.  Pierrepont,  J.  C.  Brevoort,  G.  S.  Stephenson, 
S.  B.  Chittenden,  Henry  Sheldon,  F.  R.  Fowler,  J.  P.  Robinson, 
Milan  Hulbert,  Charles  Storrs,  F.  Woodruff,  C.  Delano  Wood, 
James  H.  Prentice,  Joseph  Battell,  Henry  Sanger,  Alfred  S.  Barnes, 
John  C.  Barnes,  and  Charles  J.  Lowrey. 

It  is  proposed  by  the  Directors  to  publish,  in  future  volumes  of 
the  Memoirs  of  the  Society,  the  more  important  and  interesting 
portions  of  these  very  valuable  manuscript  collections. 

Since  the  publication  of  the  volume  which  preceded  this,  Mr.  Ed- 
wards S.  Sanford  has  added  another  gift,  of  one  thousand  dollars,  to 
the  two  thousand  dollars  which  he  had  previously  given,  to  constitute 
our  Publication  Fund ;  and  it  is  from  the  avails  of  this  fund  that  the 
Directors  have  derived  the  means  for  the  publication  of  the  present 
volume,  as  of  that  which  appeared  before  it.  Those,  therefore,  who 
shall  read  these,  with  interest  and  advantage,  will  have  occasion 
gratefully  to  remember  the  wise  liberality  of  the  founder  of  the 
Fund. 

Ah  eligible  and  ample  building  site  has  been  secured  for  the 
Society,  through  the  liberality  of  some  of  its  members,  who  contri- 
buted for  this  purpose  more  than  twenty  thousand  dollars.  And  it 
is  confidently  hoped  that  before  another  of  the  volumes  in  this  series 
shall  appear  there  will  have  been  erected  upon  this  site  a  Building, 
suitable  and  sufficient  for  all  the  uses  of  the  institution ;  within  which' 
its  meetings  may  be  conveniently  held,  while  its  collection  of  books. 


LONG  ISLAND  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY.  xiii 

manuscripts,  art-works,  and  memorials,  shall  be  safely  housed  and 
attractively  exhibited. 

The  Directors  congratulate  the  members  and  friends  of  the  Society 
on  the  progress  which  has  thus  been  realized  by  it;  and  they  hope 
that  the  volume  which  they  now  send  forth  will  serve  to  make  the 
aims  'and  work  of  the  institution  more  widely  known,  as  well  as  in 
some  measure  to  advance  that  delightful  and  quickening  branch 
of  study,  for  the  culture  of  which  it  was  established,  and  in  aiding 
whose  progress  it  is  always  to  find  its  office  and  its  reward. 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  S&pteinber  1, 1869. 


THE 


BATTLE  OF  LONG  ISLAND, 


WITH 


COXSECTED  PKECEDIXG  EVESTS,  A:yi>  THE  SUBSEQUENT 
A^JEIIICA2^  RETREAT. 


INTRODUCTORY  NA.RRATIVE 


BT 


THOMAS  FIELD. 


WITH 


AXrTHEXnC  DOCU^rEXTS. 


BROOKLYN. 
1869. 


Bntered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by 

Thomas  W.  Field, 

For  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society, 
In  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District 
of  New  York. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Preface    v 

Revolutionary  Measures  Resisted,  -      -      -      .  l 

Expeditions  against  the  Loyalists  of  Queens  County,  41 

Partisan  Warfare  and  Loyalist  Leaders,      -      -  82 

The  Invasion,   122 

The  Battles  of  Flatbush,  Gowanus  and  Brooklyn,  152 

The  Siege  of  Brooklyn,   206 

The  Retreat,   259 

General  Nathaniel  Woodhull,   288 

Documents,  -  313 

List  of  Documents,        -      -      -      -      -      -      -  535 

Index,   539 

List  of  Illustrations,   547 

c 


PEEF  ACE. 


'  There  .were  many  events  of  dramatic  interest 
occurring  during  the  Revolutionary  struggle  for 
Independence  by  the  thirteen  United  Colonies,  con- 
stituting the  fairest  portion  of  the  British  empire  in 
North  'America.  This  was  especially  the  case  on 
Long  Island ;  where  strong  partisan  feeling  had  to  be 
encountered  and  resisted,  in  the  preparations  for  repel- 
ling the  invasion  of  the  forces  sent  hither  by  the 
Mother  Country.  The  loyalists  dared  much  in  the 
support  of  English  interests ;  and  their  name  was  at 
the  time  rendered  infamous  among  the  ardent  and 
finally  successful  advocates  of  the  cause  of  Independ- 
ence. Many  incidents,  tragical  in  their  results,  were 
rendered  still  more  sad  to  the  friends  of  the  chief 
sufferers  by  the  mystery  surrounding  them  at  the 
time,  and  by  the  whispered  details  of  outrage  and 
seizure  among  the  hitherto  quiet  farms  and  hamlets 
of  the  Island,  on  the  western  extremity  of  which  the 
first  open  battle  of  the  Revolution  was  fought. 

That  battle,  while  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and 
important  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  has  been  less 
thoroughly  understood,  and  less  clearly  described. 


vi  PREFACE. 

than  many  others ;  and  even  those  who  have  care- 
fully studied  it  have  not  always  succeeded  in  grasping 
or  in  exhibiting  those  points  in  it  which  were  really 
•critical  and  characteristic.  To  present  to  others  the 
aspects  of  the  battle  which  were  most  prominently 
before  my  own  mind  was  one  principal  aim  which  .1 
had  in  view  in  entering  on  the  preparation  of  the 
present  volume. 

Another  motive  which  has  influenced  me,  as  I  have 
proceeded,  has  been  the  desire  to  do  at  least  a  partial 
and  tardy  justice  to  a  class  of  men  whose  earnest  but 
defeated  efforts  against  the  Revolution  have  involved 
them  ever  since  in  what  I  must  regard  as  an  excessive 
and  undue  odium. 

The  more  narrowly  I  have  scanned  the  lives  and 
sentiments  of  those  who  chose  to  link  their  fortunes 
with  their  allegiance  to  the  King,  the  fainter  have 
grown  the  obnoxious  features  with  which  republican 
zeal  and  traditional  prejudice  have  usually  portrayed 
the  Tories. 

I  have  found  a  self-devotion  in  the  adherents  of 
Royalty,  that  rivalled  the  glorious  personal  sacrifices 
of  our  Whig  ancestors;  deeds  of  heroism,  that  the 
patriot  fathers  would  have  gloried  to  emulate ;  refine- 
ments of  education,  adorning  the  noblest  intellects ; 
and  the  graces  of  Christianity,  stimulating  the  loftiest 
fidelity  to  religion  and  honor. 


PREFACE.  yii 

A  century  of  hate  is  more  than  enough ;  and  there 
is  surely  now  no  possible  danger  to  republican  doc- 
trines, in  an  unprejudiced  examination  of  the  attend- 
ing and  extenuating  circumstances  of  loyalty  to  the 
Crown  in  1776. 

I  have  not  been  insusceptible,  either,  to  the  senti- 
ment that  it  is  not  less  praiseworthy  to  moderate  na- 
tional than  individual  prejudice,  or  to  do  justice  to 
the  memory  of  a  class,  than  to  the  injured  character 
of  a  person. 

If  I  have  therefore  said  anything  to  soften  the  as- 
perities of  national  rancor,  or  to  relieve  from  antipathy 
a  class  of  citizens  respectable  for  private  virtues,  and 
only  obnoxious  for  exercising  the  inalienable  right  of 
political  and  religious  opinions,  I  shall  feel  a  sufficient 
compensation  for  the  long  hours  of  search  and  labor, 
which  a  more  facile  pen,  and  a  better  judgment,  might 
have  abridged. 

That  the  narrative  of  warfare  on  Long  Island 
might  be  made  as  complete  as  possible,  every  avail- 
able source  of  information  has  been  examined.  The 
mythic  details  of  tradition,  and  the  meagre  out- 
lines of  official  documents,  have  been  investigated 
and  compared,  to  secure  fidelity  to  historic  truth. 
Parliamentary  records,  and  Congressional  reports, 
journals  of  Provincial  assemblies  and  committees  of 
safety,  private  letters  and  public  documents,  narra- 


viii  PREFACE. 

tives  of  private  soldiers,  and  reports  of  general  officers, 
histories,  subsequent  and  contemporaneous,  have  all 
been  earnestly  studied,  in  order  that  every  incident 
of  value  or  interest  might  be  combined  into  a  con- 
tinuous narration. 

Most  of  these  sources  of  information  form  a  part  of 
this  volume,  and  are  printed  entire  in  its  closing  part. 

It  only  remains  for  me  to  render  my  acknowledg- 
ments to  those  who  truly  deserve  credit,  for  most  of 
what  may  be  deemed  meritorious  in  this  work.  The 
first  suggestion  of  it  is  due  to  Mr.  Henry  Onder- 
donk,  Jr.,  of  Jamaica,  whose  life  has  been  devoted  to 
the  preservation  of  the  incidents  of  partisan  warfare  on 
our  Island.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  work 
could  not  have  been  accomplished,  except  for  the  aid 
of  his  labors  and  research.  His  work,  on  the  Revolif^ 
tionary  Incidents  of  Long  Island^  has  preserved,  or 
indicated  the  existence  of,  sufficient  material  to  form 
several  volumes  like  the  present.  The  generosity  of 
the  earnest  scholar,  and  the  true  gentleman,  was  never 
more  apparent,  than  in  the  hearty  satisfaction  shown 
on  seeing  his  own  life-task  merged  into  this  present 
work. 

I  cannot  permit  this  preface  to  close  without  ex- 
pressing my  surprise  at  the  tenderness  and  generosity 
with  which  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Historical 
Society  have  treated  what  now  seems  to  me  to  have 


PREFACE.  ix 

been  so  feeble  and  incomplete  an  exposition  of  the 
interesting  subject  it  seeks  to  elucidate.  How  much 
the  work  owes  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  R.  S.  Storrs,  Jr.,  who 
performed  the  tedious  service  of  correcting  and  revis- 
ing the  proofs,  happily  none  but  the  printer  and  the 
author  can  ever  know. 

Through  the  attention  of  Mr.  William  L.  Stone,  I 
was  able  to  procure  from  Germany  an  original  manu- 
script map  of  the  battle-ground,  by  a  Hessian  officer, 
which  affi)rds  us  some  new  and  interesting  particulars. 
By  the  photo-lithographic  process  this  memento  of  that 
disastrous  day  has  been  perfectly  reproduced,  in  fac 
simile, 

Thomas  W.  Field. 


Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
August  28,  1869. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER  1. 
Eevolutioxakt  Measures  Eesisted. 

The  influence  of  national  and  social  characteristics,  in 
promoting  or  retarding  the  progress  of  revolutionary  sen- 
timents, was  strikingly  illustrated  by  the  events  occurring 
on  Long  Island  in  the  year  1775.  The  tide  of  emigration 
which  had  peopled  the  plains  of  Suffolk  county,  had  flowed 
from  the  New  England  shores.  Almost  midway  of  the 
Island,  it  had  been  met  by  the  advancing  wave  of  popula- 
tion from  Xew  York,  when  the  Xew  England  current  was 
deflected,  and  passed  along  the  northern  shore  of  Queens 
county.  The  wave  from  Xew  England  reached  as  far  as 
Flushing;  while  that  from  ^Tew  York  swept  past  that  point, 
upon  the  southern  plains,  to  the  east  of  Hempstead.  The 
turbulent  and  the  placid  streams  of  population  never  min- 
gled, and  even  at  this  day  retain  the  characteristics  of  the 
sources  from  which  they  sprang,  or  of  the  lands  through 
which  they  flowed. 

The  strong  impulses  of  the  Puritan  were  moderated  by 
education,  and  restrained  by  a  somewhat  unnatural  self- 
control  ;  yet  his  spirit  was  at  times  revealed  in  a  fierce 
energy,  that  scorned  and  overleaped  these  artificial  bonds. 
1 


2 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


On  the  other  hand,  the  self-content  of  the  descendants  of  the 
Hollander,  which  gave  them  the  sensuous  characteristic 
usually  termed  phlegm,  easily  blended  with  the  egotistic 
self-appreciation  of  the  English  emigrants,  which  they 
denominated  loyalty;  so  that  both  these  elements  of 
population,  though  animated  by  widely  ditferent  motives, 
united  in  the  desire  of  preserving  the  old  government. 
Thus,  while  the  towns  along  the  northern  shore  readily 
kindled  in  sympathetic  glow  with  the  'New  England  flame, 
those  on  the  southern  side  of  Queens  county  remained  cold 
and  impassive. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  that  county,  in  re- 
sponse to  the  general  sentiment  of  alarm  which  pervaded 
the  country  after  the  passage  of  the  Boston  Port  bill,  was 
held  at  the  inn  of  Increase  Carpenter,  near  the  present 
village  of  Brushville.  Marked  by  so  important  an  event, 
as  being  the  birth-place  of  the  Revolution  on  Long  Island, 
this  inn  became  memorable  as  the  scene  of  another  tragic 
event,  which  here  closed  the  local  struggle  for  liberty.^ 

The  descendants  of  a  little  colony  of  J^ew  Englanders, 
grouped  around  this  spot,  early  felt  the  revolutionary 
fever  in  their  veins.  Meeting  casually  at  this  inn,  or  per- 
haps impelled  thither  by  a  common  motive,  a  number  of 
persons  requested  the  town  constable,  Othniel  Smith,  to 
notify  the  freeholders  to  meet  at  the  Court  House,  in 
Jamaica,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  public  affairs  into  con- 
sideration. 


^  This  structure  still  remains,  nearly  in  tlie  same  condition  as  at  the  period 
of  these  events,  in  the  possession  of  a  grandson  of  the  revolutionary  pro- 
prietor. It  was  while  seeking  shelter  here  that  Gen.  WoodhuU  fell,  beneath 
the  sabres  of  Delancey's  troopers. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


3 


In  accordance  with  this  call,  a  meeting  of  the  freeholders 
and  inhabitants  convened  at  the  appointed  place,  Decem- 
ber 6th,  1774,  when  a  series  of  resolutions  was  agreed  upon, 
which  at  the  same  time  expressed  the  most  fervent  loyalty 
to  the  King,  and  the  heartiest  detestation  and  abhorrence 
of  the  oppressive  acts  of  parliament.  A  committee  of 
correspondence  and  observation  was  also  appointed,  whose 
functions  were  well  expressed  by  its  titles.^ 

It  is  evident,  however,  from  subsequent  events,  as  well 
as  from  the  burden  of  some  of  the  resolutions,  that  their 
spirit  was  far  from  being  the  general  sentiment.  Aroused 
by  the  vigorous  tone  of  the  resolves  of  their  neighbors, 
which  blended  loyalty  and  rebellion  in  such  vehement 
terms,  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  opponents  of  liberal 
opinions  signed,  on  the  19th  of  January,  1775,  a  state- 
ment, averring  that  the  resolutions  were  expressive  of 
the  sentiments  of  only  a  small  number  of  the  citizens  of 
Jamaica.^ 

^  These  resolutions  were  publislied  in  Gaines'  Mercury  of  tliat  week,  and 
are  printed  in  full,  with  other  particulars,  in  Onderdonk's  Revolutionary 
Incidents  of  Queens  County. 

^ "  Jamaica,  Jan.  27, 1775. —  Whereas  a  few  people  in  this  town  have  taken 
upon  themselves  the  name  of  a  committee,  said  to  be  chosen  by  a  majority 
of  the  inhabitants,  we,  the  subscribers,  freeholders,  and  inhabitants  of  the 
said  township,  do  think  it  our  duty  to  declare,  that  we  never  gave  our  con- 
sent towards  choosing  that  committee,  or  making  any  resolves,  as  we  utterly 
disapprove  of  all  unlawful  meetings,  and  all  tyrannical  proceedings  what- 
soever ;  and  as  we  have  always  been,  so  it  is  our  firm  resolution  to  continue, 
peaceable  and  faithful  subjects  to  his  present  majesty.  King  George  the 
Third,  our  most  gracious  sovereign  ;  and  we  do  further  declare,  that  we  do 
not  acknowledge  any  other  representatives  but  the  general  assembly  of  this 
province  ;  by  whose  wisdom  and  interposition  we  hope  to  obtain  the  wished 
redress  of  our  grievances  in  a  constitutional  way." 

This  protest  was  signed  by  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  respectable  inhabit- 
ants of  the  town,  ninety-one  of  whom  were  freeholders,  —  the  whole  number 
of  the  latter  in  the  town  being  estimated  not  to  exceed  one  hundred  and 
sixty. 


4 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


The  seeds  of  internecine  warfare  were  thus  sown ;  and 
the  ardor  of  partisan  zeal  was  certain  to  quicken  their 
germination.  The  parties  were  not,  however,  fairly  ar- 
rayed against  each  other  until  the  31st  of  March,  the  day 
appointed  by  the  N'ew  York  provincial  committee  for  the 
election  of  delegates  to  a  Convention.  One  hundred  and 
sixty-nine  freeholders  voted,  of  whom  ninety-four  (a  ma- 
jority of  nine),  cast  their  votes  against  the  election  of  a 
deputy.  Thus  the  town  of  Jamaica  was  fairly  committed 
in  favor  of  the  royal  cause. 

The  people  of  the  town  of  Hempstead,  at  the  same  time, 
left  no  room  for  doubt  regarding  the  sentiments  which 
prevailed  there ;  for,  on  April  4th,  at  an  assembly  of  the 
freeholders,  called  in  pursuance  of  the  forms  of  colonial 
law,  resolutions  deprecatory  of  all  Conventions,  provincial 
Assemblies,  and  Congresses,  were  passed  without  opposi- 
tion. Accordingly,  no  attempt  was  made  to  elect  delegates. 
The  last  of  the  series  of  resolutions  declares:  *'That  we 
are  utterly  averse  to  all  mobs,  riots,  and  illegal  proceed- 
ings, by  which  the  lives,  peace,  and  property  of  our  fellow 
subjects  are  endangered ;  and  that  we  will,  to  the  utmost  of 
our  power,  support  our  legal  magistrates  in  suppressing  all 
riots,  and  preserving  the  peace  of  our  liege  sovereign." 
Thus  unreservedly  the  people  of  Hempstead  ranged  them- 
selves on  the  side  of  the  crown  and  parliament. 

The  royalist  proclivities  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  north- 
ern towns  were  scarcely  less  dominant,  although  the  proxi- 
mity to  the  i^ew  England  shores  gave  greater  boldness 
there  to  the  revolutionary  spirit.  The  readiness  for  active 
aggression,  on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  I^ewtown, 
Flushing,  and  Oyster  Bay,  was  owing  also  in  a  measure 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  5 

to  the  absence  of  those  wealthy  and  influential  men,  who  in 
the  southern  towns  represented  the  English  squire,  and  by 
their  patronage  and  oflicial  dignity  held  the  more  restless 
of  the  inhabitants  in  check.  Many  of  the  highest  colonial 
dignitaries  possessed  estates  in  Jamaica  and  Hempstead, 
which  they  occupied  during  a  large  portion  of  the  year. 

More  than  a  year  subsequently  we  find  the  names  of 
twenty-six  persons,  residents  of  Queens  county,  who  were 
arrested  as  still  holding  office  under  the  King.  In  this  list 
of  the  proscribed  we  recognize  the  names  of  men  eminent 
for  qualities  which  have  preserved  their  memory,  while 
the  odium  of  their  partisanship  has  been  forgotten.  In 
our  review  of  the  incidents  of  the  revolutionary  era,  these 
men,  and  the  noble  characteristics  for  which  they  were 
really  eminent,  will  not  be  forgotten. 

In  December,  1774,  an  attempt  was  made  at  Oyster  Bay 
to  secure  the  attendance  at  a  public  meeting,  of  a  sufficient 
number  of  the  inhabitants  to  give  color  to  the  statement 
that  a  majority  was  favorable  to  revolutionary  sentiments. 
Notwithstanding  the  vigorous  effiDrts  of  several  of  the  prin- 
cipal freeholders,  requesting  the  assembling  of  the  citizens 
at  George  Weeke's  inn,  so  small  a  number  of  them  ap- 
peared, who  were  believed  to  be  favorable  to  their  designs, 
that  the  managers,  abashed  with  the  evident  aversion  to  the 
designs  of  the  revolutionists,  proceeded  no  further  than  to 
elect  the  town  clerk,  Samuel  Townsend,  their  moderator, 
and  adjourned  to  the  annual  town  meeting. 

A  royal  justice  of  the  peace,  whose  name  has  not  come 
down  to  us,  is,  however,  recorded  to  have  "  exerted  himself 
on  that  occasion  with  the  prudence  and  firmness  becom- 
ing a  magistrate,"  by  urging  the  impropriety  and  illegality 


6 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


of  such  meetings,  in  so  masterly  a  manner  as  to  have  the 
desired  effect  of  preventing  any  business  being  done,  till 
the  legal  day  of  calling  town  meeting,  on  the  first  Tuesday 
in  April.  During  the  interval,  each  party  exerted  itself  to 
the  utmost  in  arousing  its  adherents  for  the  struggle  that 
vrould  ensue  upon  that  occasion. 

The  royalist  partisans  relied  upon  their  known  prepon- 
derance of  numbers;  and  the  revolutionists  strenuously 
endeavored  to  compensate  for  their  numerical  weakness 
by  vehemence  and  activity.  At  the  town  meeting,  the 
first  act  of  the  assembled  citizens,  in  deposing  their  town 
clerk,  and  electing  Thomas  Smith  moderator,  was  indica- 
tive of  the  prevailing  sentiment.^  After  a  determined 
struggle,  the  poll  of  votes  was  finished,  and  two  hundred 
and  five  freeholders  voted  against  any  association  with  the 
Congress,  and  only  forty-two  had  the  temerity  to  cast  their 
votes  in  its  favor. 

This  minority  of  forty-two  freeholders,  with  a  subsequent 
addition  of  one  other,  was,  however,  so  skilfully  manipu- 
lated by  some  adroit  politicians,  that  Zebulon  Williams 
was  received  as  the  representative  of  the  town  by  the  pro- 
vincial Congress.  The  trade  of  politician,  in  the  develop- 
ment of  which  all  the  faculties  of  some  of  our  fellow  citizens 
have  been  so  carefully  educated  during  the  present  century, 
was  at  that  period  in  its  infancy.  ITumerous  incidents, 
however,  prove  that  even  at  that  period  the  profession 
could  boast  of  some  able  and  adroit  workmen. 

Warned  by  the  failure  of  their  comrades  in  the  adjoin- 
ing towns,  the  whig  leaders  of  Flushing  avoided  alarming 


^  Thomas  Smitli,  at  the  previous  meeting,  liad  given  token  of  sympathy 
with  the  whigs. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


7 


the  royalists  by  calling  a  formal  meeting,  and  seized  the 
occasion  of  a  funeral,  which  was  attended  by  a  considerable 
number  of  their  partisans,  to  elect  a  town  Committee 
of  Safety.^  So  well  were  matters  arranged  by  the  whig 
managers,  that  a  declaration  was  obtained  from  the  town 
clerk,  John  Rodman,  that  John  Talman  had  been  chosen 
deputy  by  a  large  majority.  The  shrewd  whigs  did  not 
put  on  record  either  the  number  of  votes  cast,  or  the 
majority  which  they  claimed;  indeed,  their  statement  met 
with  no  credit  even  at  that  time.  In  these  days,  when 
political  machinery  accomplishes  such  gigantic  results, 
and  the  finesse  and  management  ^  which  invest  a  poor 
minority  with  the  rights  and  powers  of  a  great  people,  are 
looked  upon  as  party  capital,  and  reverenced  as  a  sort  of 
talent, —  even  in  these  days  might  the  engineers  of  politi- 
cal schemes  be  envious  of  the  tact  and  ability  of  the  whig 
politicians  of  1775.  Of  these,  none  was  more  able  and 
adroit  than  Col.  Jacob  Blackwell,  of  I^ewtown. 

In  common  with  others  of  the  whig  leaders  throughout 
the  colonies.  Col.  Blackwell  had  inherited  enough  wealth, 
and  acquired  sufficient  education,  to  make  him  restive 
under  the  stifling  control  of  the  paternal  government, 
which  offered  no  field  for  the  exercise  of  the  abilities  of 
its  colonial  children.    The  restrained  ambition,  and  re- 

^ "  There  was  a  funeral  in  this  town  about  a  fortnight  ago  which  aflforded 
three  or  four  of  the  furious  '  Sons  of  Liberty '  an  opportunity  of  selecting 
as  many  out  of  their  number  who  attended  the  funeral  as  would  suit  their 
purpose,  which  was  twenty-five,  one-seventh  of  the  freeholders  of  the  town. 
Twelve  of  these  were  immediately  dubbed  committee  men ;  but  by  the 
authority  of  a  single  man,  who  is  a  friend  to  order  and  good  govern- 
ment, they  were  constrained  from  entering  on  any  business  relating  to  their 
oflBce,  till  the  sentiments  of  all  the  freeholders  were  taken  upon  it ;  which 
when  executed  will  certainly  put  an  end  to  their  political  existence,  as  it  is 
well  known  the  inhabitants  are  generally  against  it."—  Eivington's  Gazette. 


8 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


pressed  talents  of  the  rich  and  educated  colonists,  who 
despaired  of  having  a  stage  upon  which  to  exhibit  the 
qualities  they  were  conscious  of  possessing,  contributed  as 
much  to  awaken  the  discontent  which  led  to  the  independ- 
ence of  these  colonies,  as  all  other  motives.^  The  beau- 
tiful island  in  the  East  Eiver  known  by  his  name,  and 
many  fertile  acres  around  Hallet's  cove,  were  a  part  of  the 
patrimony  inherited  by  Col.  Blackwell. 

The  organization  of  the  colonial  militia,  during  the 
French  and  Indian  wars,  had  brought  him  into  such 
prominence  that  he  was  elected  captain  of  a  company. 
This,  doubtless,  only  whetted  his  ambition,  which  found 
no  arena  for  its  exercise  during  the  fifteen  years  interval 
between  the  French  and  revolutionary  wars;  and,  accord- 
ingly, we  find  him  first  among  the  agitators  against  parlia- 
mentary control  in  his  native  town.  The  French  war,  by 
one  of  those  strange  sequences  of  events  which  startle  us 
long  after  their  occurrence,  was  an  indispensable  prelude 
to  the  Revolution  of  the  colonies.  It  developed  and  trained 
many  of  the  prominent  men  by  whom  that  Revolution  was 
incited  and  perfected ;  and  we  shall  see  that  many  of  the 
actors  in  the  later  scenes  on  Long  Island  had  received 
their  inspiration  from  the  lessons  of  that  warfare. 

Col.  Blackwell's  position,  as  commandant  of  the  county 
militia,  placed  him  at  the  head  of  the  patriot  movements, 
and  his  ambition  and  zeal  preserved  his  leadership.  To 
aid  him  in  organizing  the  revolutionary  element,  his 
talent  for  political  finesse,  and  tact  in  party  artifice,  had 

*  It  was  charged  that  the  first  impulse  which  John  Hancock  received 
towards  revolutionary  sentiments,  was  his  resentment  at  the  paternal  go- 
vernment's neglect  of  his  abilities. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  9 

been  cultivated  in  the  small  republic  of  a  county  militia, 
in  which  the  privates  elected  their  own  officers.  How  to 
elect  a  deputy  to  the  provincial  Congress,  with  such 
show  of  strength  as  to  make  it  seem  the  act  of  the  legally 
convened  town  electors,  was  a  problem,  too  difficult  for 
most  of  the  revolutionary  leaders;  but  Col.  Blackwell 
found  its  solution. 

He  had,  it  is  true,  to  deal  with  a  population  possessing 
hereditary  affinities  for  republicanism,  as  their  names, 
smacking  strongly  of  puritanic  origin,  well  indicate ;  and 
for  this  reason  his  work  was  easier.  A  meeting  of  the 
citizens  of  IsTewtown  was  appointed  as  early  as  Decem- 
ber 10th,  1774;  but  his  forces  were  well  disciplined,  and 
the  militia,  of  which  he  was  commander,  were  doubtless 
thoroughly  pledged  to  be  present,  and  to  sustain  him  and 
his  propositions.  With  the  characteristic  shrewdness 
and  bad  faith  of  a  politician,  the  repudiated  action  of 
the  few  whig  citizens  of  Jamaica  was  represented  as 
"  the  series  of  spirited  and  well  adapted  resolves  of 
their  neighboring  townsmen ;  "  and  the  carefully  chosen 
citizens  who  formed  the  assembly  at  IN'ewtown  were 
exhorted  to  act  promptly,  so  as  not  to  be  outdone  by 
their  friends.  Of  course  they  determined  to  pass  similar 
"  spirited  resolves,"  and  adjourned  for  a  few  days,  while 
these  should  be  prepared. 

The  resolutions  presented  by  the  chairman.  Col.  Black- 
well,  at  the  next  meeting,  and  doubtless  prepared  by  him, 
compose  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  compact  statements 
of  colonial  grievances,  which  were  drafted  during  the  pre- 


^See  Biker's  AnncUs  of  Newtown,  176. 
2 


10 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


paratory  days  of  the  revolutionary  struggle.^  It  may  not 
have  been  the  less  carefully  prepared  because  sixty  free- 
holders, whose  names  indicate  their  Dutch  and  Scotch 
origin,  had  signed  and  published  a  document  vehemently 
protesting  against  the  whole  proceeding,  and  clamorously 
proclaiming  their  unfaltering  loyalty.^ 

It  is  not  probable  that  such  an  adroit  and  able  manager 
would  rest  satisfied,  however,  with  mere  proclamations ; 
for  his  military  experience  taught  him  that  nothing  must 
be  left  to  hazard  which  could  be  provided  for  by  discipline 
and  management.  We  are  not,  therefore,  surprised  to 
find,  that  at  the  annual  town  meeting,  not  one  of  the  sixty 
perverse  loyalists  cast  his  vote;  nor  that  one  hundred 
whigs  voted  to  send  Col.  Jacob  Blackwell  as  deputy  to 
the  provincial  Congress.  Thus  the  only  town  in  the 
county  that  actually  elected  a  delegate  to  the  provincial 
Congress,  was  carried  for  the  whigs  by  sharp  manage- 
ment, in  the  success  of  which  the  real  sentiment  of  the 
people  had,  probably,  scarcely  fair  play.^ 

Four  of  the  five  towns  had  given  large  majorities  against 
the  revolutionary  measures,  and  it  was  evident  that  the 
mass  of  the  people  was  thoroughly  and  soundly  loyal  to 

^Eimngton's  Gazette,  Jan.  12th,  1775. 

^  To  those  who  trace  his  subsequent  history,  this  estimate  of  Col.  Black- 
well's  character  will  not  appear  unwarrantably  severe.  That  he  was  a  sincere 
republican  is  not  doubted ;  but  that  he  was  led  by  ambitious  motives  seems 
probable,  when  we  find  him  making  his  peace  with  Gen.  Robertson  for  the 
purpose  of  preserving  an  estate  which  he  feared  might  be  forfeited,  and 
enduring  all  the  indignities  and  fines  which  were  heaped  upon  him  and  his 
estate  during  the  British  occupancy  of  the  Island,  instead  of  sharing  with  his 
compatriots  the  dangers  and  discomforts  of  the  battle-field.  Chagrin,  of  one 
sort  or  another,  springing,  it  is  said,  from  pecuniary  losses  or  disappointed 
ambition,  did  not  permit  him  to  see  the  glory  of  the  disenthralled  people 
for  whom  he  had  so  arduously  labored. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  H 

the  crown  and  parliament.  Such  elements  of  discord 
could  not  long  exist  in  a  community,  without  exciting  the 
warmest  resentment  in  the  minds  of  the  respective  par- 
ties; nor  could  it  be  long  before  indignation  ripened  into 
hatred,  and  the  bitter  malignity  thus  engendered  became 
too  fierce  for  human  control. 

The  respectable  names  of  Royalist  or  Addressor,  and 
Whig  or  Associator,  by  which  the  parties  were  at  first 
distinguished,  degenerated  into  the  mocking  titles  of 
Eebel  and.  Tory;  long  before  used  in  the  bloody  party 
struggles  of  England  and  Ireland.  It  is  observable,  in 
the  history  of  partisan  warfare,  that  the  bandying 
of  epithets,  which  have  been  the  former  distinctions  of 
parties,  transfers  all  the  old  hatred  to  the  new  antagonists. 
It  often  astonishes  us  to  find  such  bitter  hate,  inciting  to 
the  bloodiest  revenge,  in  feuds  of  recent  origin ;  but  we 
shall  as  often  find  that  names  are  things,  to  the  greatest 
portion  of  the  human  race,  who  accept  an  epithet  as 
representing  generations  of  differences.  An  epithet  was 
sufficient,  a  century  or  two  ago,  to  fire  an  entire  sect  with 
burning  hatred  of  the  wretch  against  whom  some  priest 
had  hurled  the  title  of  '  heretic ; '  and  scarcely  half  a  cen- 
tury since,  the  harmless  word  '  aristocrat, '  would  doom  the 
noblest  or  the  humblest  to  the  remorseless  guillotine. 

In  the  progress  of  the  narration  of  events  which  pre- 
ceded the  Declaration  of  Independence,  we  have  seen 
that  at  the  period  of  the  meeting  of  the  provincial  Con- 
vention, on  April  20th,  1775,  at  the  Exchange  in  the  city 
of  isTew  York,  the  attitude  of  the  residents  of  Queens 
county  was  exceedingly  hostile  to  its  designs.  Instead  of 
delegates,  the  towns  sent  addresses  deprecating  the  mea- 


12 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


sures  which  were  understood  to  be  the  object  of  its 
organization.  So  palpable  was  the  fact  that  almost  the 
entire  mass  of  its  inhabitants  entertained  the  strongest 
aversion  to  revolutionary  sentiments,  that  the  provincial 
Congress  refused  to  the  persons  who  assumed  to  act  as 
delegates  from  Queens  county  the  privilege  of  voting 
upon  the  measures  upon  which  they  deliberated.  These 
delegates  thus  acknowledged  themselves  to  be  representa- 
tives without  a  constituency. 

The  political  aspect  of  Kings  county,  occupied  by  a 
population  greatly  inferior  in  number  to  that  of  Queens, 
was  scarcely  more  satisfactory  to  the  whigs.  Although 
the  documentary  evidence  of  the  transactions  of  the 
different  towns  is,  from  various  causes,^  much  less  definite 
and  satisfactory  than  in  the  adjacent  counties,  there  is 
abundant  ground  for  the  belief  that  Kings  county  entered 
the  revolutionary  arena  with  nearly  equal  reluctance. 

There  exists  some  discrepancy  in  the  dates,  given  by 
the  different  authorities,  of  the  first  meeting  held  in 
Kings  county,  for  the  election  of  delegates.  It  was  not 
until  May  20th,  1775,  that  the  magistrates  and  freeholders 
of  Brooklyn  met  for  that  purpose;  and,  although  we  have 
no  means  of  knowing  how  general  was  the  attendance,  or 
how  large  was  the  majority  in  favor  of  the  Convention,  the 
resolutions  declarative  of  its  sentiments  are  sufiiciently 

*  The  records  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn  were  abstracted  and  carried  away  by 
some  of  the  refugee  loyalists,  and  although  returned  a  few  years  after,  it  was 
for  the  purpose  of  speculation,  and  the  city  fathers  of  that  day  neglected  to 
replevin  and  recover  its  archives.  A  fate  not  less  lamentable  befell  the  records 
of  the  town  of  Bush  wick.  Soon  after  the  consolidation  with  the  city  of  Brook- 
lyn, they  were  deposited  in  a  movable  book-case  in  the  City  Hall.  The  book- 
case was  coveted  by  some  civic  functionary,  who  turned  the  precious  docu- 
ments upon  the  floor,  whence  the  janitor  transferred  them  to  the  paper  mill. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  13 

decided,  and  expressive  of  revolutionary  tendency.  The 
minutes  of  that  meeting  are  so  characteristic  of  the  uni- 
form style  of  expression,  and  direction  of  thought,  which 
marked  the  deliberations  of  that  period,  that  they  are 
transferred  to  these  pages  entire. 

"  At  a  general  town  meeting,  regularly  warned  at  Brook- 
lyn, May  20th,  1775,  the  magistrates  and  freeholders  met, 
and  voted  Jeremiah  Eemsen,  Esq.,  into  the  chair,  and 
Leffert  Lefterts,  Esq.,  clerk. 

"  Taking  into  our  serious  consideration  the  expediency 
and  propriety  of  concurring  with  the  freeholders  and  free- 
men of  the  City  and  County  of  JSeio  York,  and  the  other 
colonies,  townships,  and  precincts  within  this  province,  for 
holding  a  provincial  Congress,  to  advise,  consult,  watch 
over,  and  defend,  at  this  very  alarming  crisis,  all  our  civil 
and  religious  rights,  liberties  and  privileges,  according  to 
their  collective  prudence. 

"  After  duly  considering  the  unjust  plunder,  and  inhu- 
man carnage,  committed  on  the  property  and  persons  of 
our  brethren  in  the  Massachusetts,  who  with  the  other 
Kew  England  colonies  are  now  deemed  by  the  mother 
country  to  be  in  a  state  of  actual  rebellion,  by  which  de- 
claration England  hath  put  it  beyond  her  own  power  to 
treat  with  ^^ew  England,  or  to  propose  or  receive  any 
terms  of  reconciliation,  until  those  colonies  shall  submit  as 
a  conquered  country.  The  first  effort  to  effect  which  was 
by  military  and  naval  force ;  the  next  attempt  is  to  bring 
a  famine  among  them,  by  depriving  them  of  both  their 
natural  and  acquired  right  of  fishing. 

"Further  contemplating  the  very  unhappy  situation  to 
which  the  powers  at  home,  by  oppressive  measures,  have 


14 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


driven  all  the  other  protestant  provinces,  we  have  all  evils 
in  their  power  to  fear,  as  they  have  already  declared  all 
the  provinces  aiders  and  abettors  of  rebellion ;  therefore, 

"  Ist.  Resolved,  That  Henry  Williams,  and  Jeremiah 
Remsen,  Esqrs.  be  now  elected  deputies  for  this  township, 
to  meet  May  22,  with  other  deputies  in  provincial  Conven- 
tion, in  ITew  York,  and  there  to  consider,  determine  and 
do,  all  prudential,  and  necessary  business. 

"  2nd.  Resolved,  That  we,  confiding  in  the  wisdom  and 
equity  of  said  Convention,  do  agree  to  observe  all  warrant- 
able acts,  associations,  and  orders,  as  said  Congress  shall 
direct.    Signed,  by  order  of  the  town  meeting. 

"Leffert  Lefferts,  Clerk." 

The  proximity  of  the  turbulent  population  of  New  York 
city,  even  then  waxing  arrogant  in  its  power,  doubtless 
influenced  the  spirit  of  these  resolutions.  The  leaders  of 
the  meeting,  indeed,  refer  in  explicit  terms  to  the  necessity 
of  conforming  to  the  example  of  their  neighboring  city,  in 
the  appointment  of  delegates.  Thus  early  was  a  lesson 
enforced  upon  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  not  since  entirely 
forgotten.  Another  influence  that  urged  the  people  of  the 
county  forward  into  the  revolutionary  torrent,  was  the 
contagious  appetite  for  blood,  which  the  battle  of  Lexing- 
ton had  aroused.  That  horrible  fever  of  excitement  which 
seizes  a  nation  when  the  blood  of  its  children  has  been 
shed  by  a  foe,  and  which  it  is  as  impossible  to  escape  as 
the  contagion  of  a  plague,  like  other  human  afflictions,  is 
communicated  with  the  greatest  rapidity,  and  rages  with 
the  fiercest  violence,  in  great  cities  and  their  vicinity. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  I5 

The  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  arrived  in  ^^ew 
York  on  the  very  day,  April  23d,  when  the  provincial 
Convention  had  dissolved ;  and  the  excited  citizens  imme- 
diately issued  a  call  for  the  assembly  of  a  provincial 
Congress,  on  the  24th  of  May.  It  was  in  compliance  with 
this  request  that  a  meeting  of  town  delegates  was  held  at 
riatbush,  May  22d.  Five  of  the  six  towns  of  Kings 
county,  were  there  represented.  Flatbush,  by  the  voice 
of  Nicholas  Cowenhoven,  declined  any  complicity  in  the 
proceedings  of  the  Convention,  but  at  the  same  time  ex- 
pressed the  design  of  remaining  neutral  in  the  struggle, 
which  was  now  clearly  approaching.  Richard  Stillwell, 
Theodorus  Polhemus,  John  Lefferts,  i^icholas  Cowenho- 
ven, Johannes  E.  Lott,  John  Vanderbilt,  Henry  Williams, 
and  Jeremiah  Remsen,  were  the  delegates  chosen  to  repre- 
sent all  the  towns  of  Kings  county  except  Fiatlands. 
There  are  many  other  names  of  prominent  citizens  of 
Kings  county  which  have  come  down  to  us,  but  they  are 
not  found  in  the  records  of  these  meetings,  or  on  the  list 
of  deputies  to  the  Congress. 

The  fiery  cross  sped  to  the  towns  of  Queens  county, 
and  summoned  their  delegates  to  the  gathering ;  but  these 
communities,  more  distant  from  the  centre  of  revolutionary 
agitation,  received  the  summons  with  coldness  and  scorn. 
When  the  address  was  presented  to  Lieut.  Gov.  Cadwalla- 
der  Colden,  at  Jamaica,  with  a  special  request  appended 
that  he  would  intercede  with  Gov.  Gage  and  the  King  to 
put  an  end  to  their  violent  measures,  he  replied  evasively, 
but  not  without  emotion.  The  keen  susceptibility  and 
fine  moral  sense  of  this  accomplished  gentleman  made 
him  sensitive  to  those  influences  around  him,  which  the 


16 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


heavier  mould  and  duller  comprehension  of  his  associates 
could  not  detect ;  and  he  felt  that  the  elements  of  popular 
commotion  were  not  to  be  laughed  away  with  a  jest,  or 
overwhelmed  with  silent  scorn.  "We  are  left  to  conjecture 
what  must  have  been  his  thoughts,  as  he  turned  away  to 
hide  an  emotion  which  suftused  his  eyes  with  tears.  A 
historian  and  scholar  of  eminent  talents,  his  studies  had 
not  left  him  ignorant  of  what  are  the  consequences  of 
rebellion,  or  with  what  rigor  kings  punish  their  insurgent 
subjects. 

His  conscience  and  honor  alike  revolted  against  the 
crime  of  encouraging  disloyalty,  and  his  humanity  recoiled 
from  the  dreadful  punishment  which  he  believed  awaited  it. 
That  this  knowledge  of  the  spirit  and  sentiments  of  the 
colonists,  which  his  long  residence  among  them  had  given 
him,  made  him  equally  sensible  of  the  persistency  of  their 
resentment,  and  the  impolicy,  perhaps  injustice,  of  the 
parliamentary  measures,  is  most  probable.  He  could  re- 
member that  he  himself,  the  high  civic  functionary,  the 
accomplished  gentleman  and  scholar,  had  been  treated  like 
a  common  felon,  by  the  insurgent  mob  of  N"evv  York;  but 
he  could  not  foresee  that  two  of  his  sous  would  be  driven 
into  exile,  and  another  imprisoned  in  a  loathsome  jail,  and 
left  almost  to  perish  for  want  of  food,  by  the  same  revolu- 
tionary populace,  which  he  saw  each  day  arrogating  to 
itself  more  and  more  startling  authority. 

The  justices  of  Queens  county  signed  a  scornful  protest 
against  the  "Anonymous  advertisements"  which  called 
for  meetings  to  appoint  deputies  to  a  Congress.  From 
various  indications  it  was  evident  that  the  temper  of  the 
people  of  Queens  county  had  not  changed,  regarding  the 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


17 


revolutionary  purposes.  The  crafty  whig  leaders  were 
not  so  heedless  as  to  overlook  these  unfavorable  signs,  and 
they  determined  to  avoid  by  political  cunning  the  disagree- 
able necessity  of  allowing  the  great  majority  of  citizens 
adverse  to  them,  to  vote  on  the  question.  Instead,  there- 
fore, of  taking  the  vote  at  regularly  organized  town 
meetings,  they  issued  a  call  for  a  meeting  of  freeholders 
at  Jamaica,  who  elected  the  delegates,  as  nearly  unani- 
mously as  party  caucuses  are  wont  to  do.  The  assembled 
freeholders  of  that  town  generously  elected  delegates  to 
represent  the  town  of  Hempstead  also,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  three  gentlemen  from  that  place  delivered  a  message 
from  its  freeholders,  that  they  had  held  a  meeting  a  few 
days  previously  and  resolved  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
their  Conventions  or  Congresses.  This,  it  might  have 
been  supposed,  would  preclude  the  possibility  of  furnishing 
delegates  for  that  town ;  but,  without  the  slightest  regard 
to  so  insignificant  a  circumstance,  the  caucus  declared  it 
to  be  essential  that  Hempstead  should  have  its  delegates, 
as  without  their  election  the  Congress  might  declare  the 
county  delegates  not  entitled  to  a  vote,  as  had  already 
been  decided  in  the  former  Convention.  Accordingly 
Hempstead,  although  entirely  ignorant  of  the  favor,  and 
certainly  averse  to  its  bestowal,  was  supplied  with  deputies 
to  the  Congress.^    Immediately  after  the  assembling  of 

^  The  placid  temper  of  the  Holland  race,  was  not  readily  fired  by  the  nar- 
ration of  grievances  which  its  representatives  on  Long  Island  never  felt. 
They  looked  with  astonishment  upon  the  frenzy  into  which  their  New 
England  neighbors  had  lashed  themselves,  about  a  tax  on  Tea.  They  were 
not  alone  in  this  ignorance  of  their  own  wrongs,  for  the  agricultural  districts 
of  most  of  the  colonies  were  quietly  unconscious  of  the  brewing  storm,  or 
regarded  its  tokens  with  an  indij0ference  blended  with  a  feeble  wonder  at 
their  violence.  An  incident  narrated  by  Caruthers,  in  his  Revolutionary 
3 


18 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


Congress,  county  and  town  Committees  of  Safety  were 
appointed  in  the  several  towns  of  Kings  and  Queens 
counties,  in  pursuance  of  its  recommendation. 

The  revolutionary  designs  were  now  assuming  form  and 
dimensions,  which  made  them  as  formidable  as  they  had 
before  appeared  contemptible.  From  objects  of  scorn,  the 
committees  of  shopmen  and  farmers  began  to  be  viewed 
as  centres  of  terror  and  oppression;  and  they  soon  justified 
these  apprehensions  by  constant  espionage  upon  their 
loyalist  neighbors,  followed  by  acts  of  intolerance,  and 
exclusion  from  the  civic  deliberations,  which  fast  grew  into 
partisan  hatred.  Lists  were  made  of  the  proscribed,  which 
included  all  who  were  not  actively  engaged  in  the  various 
departments  of  their  revolutionary  organization ;  and  day 
by  day,  those  to  whose  education  and  refinement  the  asso- 
ciation with  the  coarser  elements  of  society  was  repugnant, 

Incidents  of  tJie  Old  North'  State,  though  grotesquely  ludicrous,  is  sugges- 
tive of  the  small  degree  of  inconvenience,  which  the  rural  coloniste  suflFered 
from  the  measures  of  the  parent  government. 

Mr.  B  ,  who  attained  a  high  military  rank  during  the  revolutionary 

war,  was,  prior  to  its  commencement,  the  proprietor  of  a  country  store  in 
the  mountains  of  North  Carolina ;  and  on  his  return  from  one  of  his  annual 
visits  to  Philadelphia,  bought,  as  a  present  to  his  wife,  a  pound  of  the  famous 
Tea.  The  presence  of  a  gentleman  of  high  standing  in  the  locality  induced 
Mrs.  B.,  to  compliment  him  with  some  of  the  new  esculent  at  his  dmner. 
Totally  ignorant  of  its  use,  she  shook  a  generous  quantity  of  the  Chinese 
herb  into  the  pot  in  which  a  ham  was  seething.  The  obstinate  leaves  would 
not,  however,  cook  to  a  palatable  condition,  and  drove  the  good  lady  almost 
to  the  verge  of  lunacy,  when  the  ham,  herb  and  all,  served  on  the  table, 
were  pronounced  uneatable.  The  story  spread  through  the  settlements, 
and  an  unfavorable  impression  regarding  the  merits  and  importance  of  the 
controversy  was  generally  produced. 

When  the  India  Company  lost  its  three  cargoes  of  tea  in  Boston,  and  the 
prospect  of  war  between  the  colonies  and  the  mother  country  grew  into 
certainty,  the  decision  of  the  district  was  almost  unanimous  that  the  subject 
was  too  trifling  for  the  bloody  trial  of  war.  The  farmers  cursed  the  worth- 
less tea,  and  declared  that  parliament  might  tax  the  miserable  herb  as 
highly  as  it  chose,  for  they  had  never  seen  or  used  it,  and  could  suffer  no- 
thing by  the  heaviest  duty. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  19 

as  well  as  those  whose  loyalty  revolted  at  the  incipient 
treason,  found  the  chains  of  the  republican  despotism 
drawing  tighter  around  them.  As  early  as  June  4th,  the 
threatening  sullenness  of  the  loyalists  of  Queens  county 
had  become  so  alarming  to  the  provincial  Congress,  that 
it  was  ordered  as  the  special  subject  for  consideration  on 
the  next  day.  ITearly  a  month  later,  three  of  the  deputies, 
who  had  neglected  to  take  their  seats,  were  formally 
warned  to  appear  in  their  places,  or  assign  reasons  for  the 
neglect.  A  few  days  after,  a  communication  was  received 
from  Joseph  French,  declining  to  serve  as  deputy  to  the 
provincial  Congress,  because  he  was  convinced  that  a 
majority  of  the  freeholders  of  Jamaica  was  hostile  to  the 
measures  contemplated  by  that  body,  and  strongly  opposed 
to  being  represented  in  it. 

The  deputy  elect  from  Hempstead,  Thomas  Hicks  of 
Little  ITeck,  also  sent  in  a  letter  of  declination ;  but,  with 
the  characteristic  reserve  and  caution  of  a  quaker,  he  said 
he  was  compelled  to  that  course,  by  the  report  "  of  several 
leading  men,^'  that  the  people  of  that  town  seemed  much 
inclined  to  remain  peaceable  and  quiet. 

It  was  evident  that  the  populous  and  wealthy  county  of 
Queens  was  in  a  state  of  such  hostility  to  the  revolutionary 
measures  that  it  should  be  declared  contumacious.  Its 
example  of  loyalty  to  the  British  crown  was  becoming  an 
element  of  danger  to  the  whigs,  which  called  for  its  sup- 
pression. It  had  infected,  as  they  believed,  the  adjacent 
towns  of  Kings  county,  one  at  least  of  which  already 
exhibited  a  sullen  and  threatening  attitude. 

So  far,  the  aversion  of  the  recusant  towns  to  the  aggres- 
sive doctrines  of  N'ew  England  republicanism  had  been 


20 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


confined  to  a  gloomy  scorn;  but  their  attitude  was  so 
defiant,  that  the  New  York  Congress,  now  thoroughly 
alarmed,  ordered  "  that  the  members  from  Queens  county 
on  Tuesday  next,  report  to  this  Congress  their  opinion  on 
the  conduct  of  their  constituents,  with  regard  to  the  con- 
troversy now  subsisting  between  Great  Britain  and  the 
American  colonies,  and  what  steps  have  been  taken  by  any 
of  the  inhabitants  to  defend  the  measures  necessary  to  be 
adopted  by  the  continental,  or  by  this  Congress,  for  the 
preservation  of  our  rights  and  privileges."  The  members 
from  Queens  county,  as  they  were  by  courtesy  termed,  who 
as  we  have  seen  were  deputies  without  a  constituency, 
doubtless  reported  a  statement  that  was  deemed  counter- 
revolutionary ;  for  on  the  28th  of  June,  Congress  decided, 
that  "  it  appeared  that  a  great  number  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Queens  county  are  not  disposed  to  a  representation  at 
this  board,  and  have  dissented  therefrom."  It  was  how- 
ever, ordered,  "  that  the  members  from  Queens  county  do 
take  and  hold  their  seats  at  this  board,  notwithstanding 
such  dissent,  and  that  the  members  of  Queens  who  have 
not  attended  be  served  with  a  copy  of  the  above  resolution 
and  order."  This  was  a  shrewd  political  stroke;  and 
worthy  of  the  most  talented  and  unscrupulous  popular 
leaders  of  the  present  day.  It  was  not  deemed  so  neces- 
sary to  convert  the  people  of  Long  Island  to  republicanism, 
as  to  convince  the  rest  of  the  country  that  they  were  in  no 
need  of  conversion. 

Brooklyn  and  the  adjacent  towns  were  so  completely 
overawed  by  the  well  organized  democracy  of  the  neigh- 
boring city,  that  their  loyalist  inhabitants  felt  that  the 
hazard  of  demonstrating  their  position,  by  public  acts, 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  21 

was  too  great  for  experiment.  Their  slight  inferiority  of 
numbers,  however,  was  amply  compensated  by  their  wealth 
and  influence. 

Tew  of  those  whose  social  position  in  Kings  county  enti- 
tled them,  by  the  customs  of  monarchical  society,  to  rank 
as  gentlemen,  had  joined  the  revolutionary  party ,  which  in- 
cluded but  a  very  small  number  of  the  educated  men,  the 
officials,  or  the  possessors  of  considerable  landed  estates. 
The  presence  of  these  influential  persons  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  the  provincial  Congress  could  not  but 
excite  the  utmost  uneasiness;  but,  as  they  had  hitherto 
confined  their  loyalty  to  silent  aversion,  no  pretext  could  be 
seized  upon  for  annoying  or  coercing  them.  Indeed,  the 
adherents  of  the  crown  were  yet  too  powerful,  both  socially 
and  politically,  and  the  scarcely  crystalized  elements  of 
republicanism  were  too  feeble,  for  such  violent  measures. 
The  time  was  nevertheless  fast  approaching  when  these 
unhappy  gentlemen  were  to  feel  the  strong  hand  of  de- 
mocratic tyranny,  and  to  learn  that  even  moderation  and 
neutrality  are  not  tolerated  in  revolutionary  times. 

Among  those  whom  the  whigs  viewed  with  a  distrust 
that  was  rapidly  verging  to  hatred,  were  Gov.  Cadwalla- 
der  Golden  of  Jamaica,  Lindley  Murray  of  Islip,  Richard 
Hewlett  of  Hempstead,  and  John  Eapalye  of  Brooklyn, 
whose  blameless  lives  afforded  no  opportunity  for  assault. 
We  shall  find  that  their  moderation  was  not  long  per- 
mitted to  shield  them ;  and  the  story  of  their  sufferings 
will  exhibit  to  the  reader  how  poor  a  defense  against  the 
popular  will  is  such  an  armor. 

Gongress  was  now  earnestly  concentrating  the  scattered 
elements  of  power ;  the  Committees  of  Safety  throughout 


22  INTKODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  Island  had  thoroughly  organized  their  system,  and 
had  become  the  radiating  arms  of  the  central  committee 
which  had  lately  assumed  the  title  of  Congress.  The 
power  of  these  Committees  was  felt  at  first,  as  we  have 
seen,  through  a  neighborhood  espionage,  that  exasperated 
every  loyalist,  with  what  seemed  to  him  its  unwarrantable 
impertinence.  The  gentlemen  of  wealth  felt  it  to  be  an 
intolerable  annoyance ;  and  the  royal  officers,  justices,  and 
other  crown  adherents,  looked  upon  it  as  an  illegal  and 
unjustifiable  assumption  of  authority,  to  which  they  sub- 
mitted with  the  same  grace  which  would  have  been 
accorded  to  a  horde  of  banditti.  The  agents  of  recently 
acquired  power  have  not  in  any  nation  or  time  been  cha- 
racterized by  moderation,  and  amenity  of  manners ;  but 
when  the  governed,  long  deprived  of  association  in  the 
national  control,  seize  at  one  grasp  the  reins  of  govern- 
ment, there  is  but  a  short  step  for  the  conquered  between 
submission  and  hatred. 

By  September,  the  designs  of  the  republicans  had  suffi- 
ciently matured  to  permit  them  to  undertake  more  active 
and  aggressive  measures.  They  were  now  prepared  to 
sustain  such  violent  operations  by  organized  force,  while 
the  loyalists  had  remained  in  sullen  indolence  and  inac- 
tivity. On  such  pretexts  as  the  ingenuity  of  the  Com- 
mittees of  Safety  could  devise,  or  the  impatience  and 
annoyance  of  the  royalists  furnished,  the  latter  were 
arrested,  and  held  in  durance.  Early  in  that  month 
Abraham  Laurence,  a  prominent  loyalist  of  Queens 
county,  was  arrested  by  the  "I^ew  Levies,"  and  confined 
in  ^^'ew  York  jail.  Brought  before  a  committee  of  Con- 
gress, sitting  at  Scott's  tavern,  in  Wall  street,  he  received 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  23 

a  reprimand  for  Ms  conduct  from  these  persons,  upon 
whom  he  doubtless  looked  with  some  disdain  as  a  self-con- 
stituted junta  to  whom  he  owed  no  allegiance.  Thus 
made  to  feel  that  the  despised  hand  of  republican  power 
might  one  day  prove  to  be  cased  in  mail,  he  was  dismissed. 

The  Kings  and  Queens  county  militia  had  been  organized 
early  in  1775,  and  the  enrolment  probably  included  only 
those  citizens  who  volunteered  for  the  service ;  but  a  draft 
of  all  the  able-bodied  inhabitants  had  been  ordered,  and 
the  numbers  thus  obtained  were  styled  the  I^ew  Levies. 
The  ranks  were  filled  with  many  who  were  far  from  friendly 
to  the  cause  for  which  the  forces  were  organized.  "When 
the  combatants  closed  in  the  first  deadly  struggle,  and  the 
cause  of  liberty  hung  balanced  in  the  scale  of  battle,  the 
proclivities  to  loyalty  of  some,  joined  to  the  timidity  of 
others,  hastened  the  disasters  of  that  bloody  field. 

Among  the  residents  of  Long  Island  who  attracted  the 
consideration  of  Congress,  was  one  George  Bethune,  of 
Jamaica,  who  was  suspected  of  correspondence  with  his 
Majesty's  army  and  navy,  against  the  liberties  of  America. 
Col.  Lasher  was  charged  with  his  arrest,  and  ordered  to 
bring  him,  with  his  letters  and  papers,  before  the  commit- 
tee. The  evidence  was  thus  obtained  that  the  loyalists 
contemplated  hostility  more  serious  than  moody  aversion ; 
and  the  revolutionary  authorities  nerved  themselves  for  a 
contest  which  they  would  gladly  have  avoided,  less  perhaps 
from  the  danger,  than  from  the  scandal  of  the  conflict  of 
authorities.  To  avoid  at  once  the  hazard  of  open  rupture, 
and  the  confession  of  strong  opposition  to  the  republican 
authority  on  the  Island,  some  device  must  be  adopted  that 
would  cover  the  design  of  awing  the  royalists,  at  least 


24 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


into  acquiescence.  To  disarm  them,  without  the  appear- 
ance of  arbitrary  measures,  was  the  first  step ;  to  deal  with 
them  afterwards  would  be  less  difficult.  A  resolution  was 
therefore  adopted,  Sept.  16th,  "  that  all  such  arms  as  are 
fit  for  the  use  of  the  troops  raised  in  this  colony,  which 
shall  be  found  in  the  hands  of  any  person  who  has  not 
signed  the  general  Association,  shall  be  impressed  for  the 
use  of  the  troops."  The  arms  thus  seized  were  "to  be 
appraised  by  three  indifferent  persons  of  reputation," 
whose  certificate  should  entitle  the  proprietor  to  compensa- 
tion or  return  of  the  weapon.^ 

This  measure  was  well  calculated  to  incense  still  further 
a  populace  already  fired  with  vindictive  feelings;  but  the 
scheme  was  plausibly  urged  as  a  temporary  necessity, 
rather  than  an  aggressive  affront.  The  loyalists  generally 
forbore  resistance  to  the  measure,  enforced,  as^  it  was,  by 
the  presence  of  two  companies  of  Col.  Lasher's  battalion 
of  Long  Island  militia. 

The  work  of  disarming  the  loyalists  proceeded  for  a  few 
days  without  serious  opposition,  but,  as  we  subsequently 
learn,  with  little  success.  On  the  25th  of  September,  how- 
ever, alarming  news  was  communicated  by  Abraham 
Skinner,  regarding  the  threatening  attitude  of  the  people 
at  Jamaica.  He  had  hastened  from  that  place  with  the 
information  that  the  collection  of  arms  had  proceeded 
slowly ;  but  in  the  meanwhile  he  had  discovered  that  the 
loyalists  were  mustering,  having  himself  seen  numbers  of 
them  marching  to  the  rendezvous.    Apprehensive  of  fierce 

^  Tlie  lengthy  resolutions  of  the  provincial  Congress,  containing  a  full 
statement  of  the  condition  of  Queens  county,  will  be  found  in  their  journal, 
page  149. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  25 

resistance  to  the  disarming  force,  he  urged  the  detachment 
of  a  battalion  to  its  assistance.  This,  of  all  measures,  was 
the  last  which  the  Congress  was  solicitous  to  adopt ;  as  the 
first  clash  of  arms,  between  its  forces  and  the  sturdy  loyal 
farmers,  might  arouse  an  angry  populace,  almost  to  a  man, 
against  them,  A  nucleus  of  resistance,  thus  formed, 
would  aggregate  all  the  elements  of  opposition  around  it, 
and,  protected  by  the  British  vessels  of  war  in  the  harbor, 
would  soon  become  too  formidable  for  the  feeble  forces  of 
the  revolutionists  to  cope  with. 

A  gentleman,  whose  name  was  singularly  associated 
with  the  subsequent  history  of  Jamaica,  was  selected  by 
Congress  from  its  members  to  proceed  thither,  and  endea- 
vor, by  more  pacific  arguments  than  loaded  muskets,  to 
dissuade  the  loyalists  from  resort  to  them.  Egbert  Benson, 
a  delegate  from  Dutchess  county,  was  the  person  selected. 
Endeared,  as  this  gentleman  is,  to  all  students  of  American 
history,  not  only  for  his  labors  in  behalf  of  the  independ- 
ence of  our  country,  but  for  his  zeal  in  the  study  of  its  his- 
tory, we  cannot  but  feel  gratified  at  such  testimony  to  his 
high  character  and  eminent  fitness  for  this  mission,  as  his 
selection  furnishes.  Mr.  Benson  proceeded  on  his  errand, 
but  doubtless  found  the  irritated  populace  too  angry  for 
argument;  and,  in  consequence,  his  report  is  confined  to 
the  repetition  of  the  statements  of  others.  From  Major 
Williams,  the  officer  in  command  of  the  disarming  detach- 
ment, and  other  gentlemen  residents  of  Jamaica,  he  had 
obtained  information  that  confirmed  all  which  had  been 
stated,  relative  to  the  threatening  demonstrations  of  the 
loyalists;  and  he  added,  in  order  to  prevent  mistakes,  that 

he  had  obtained  a  written  communication  from  the  com- 
4 


26 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


manding  officer,  which  he  submitted  as  his  report.  "  I 
have  endeavored  in  the  towns  of  Jamaica  and  Hempstead 
to  carry  the  resolutions  of  Congress  into  execution;  but 
without  the  assistance  of  the  battalion  of  Col.  Lasher,  I 
shall  not  be  able  to  do  it  to  any  good  purpose.  The  people 
conceal  all  their  arms  that  are  of  any  value,  and  many 
declare  that  they  know  nothing  about  the  Congress,  nor 
do  they  care  anything  for  the  orders  of  Congress;  and  say 
they  would  sooner  lose  their  lives  than  give  up  their  arras, 
and  that  they  would  blow  any  man's  brains  out  that  should 
attempt  to  take  them.  We  find  there  are  a  number  of  arms 
that  belong  to  the  county,  in  the  hands  of  the  people. 
Some  persons  are  so  hardy  and  daring,  as  to  go  into  the 
houses  of  those  that  are  friendly,  and  take  away  by  force 
those  county  arms  that  our  friends  have  received  from  the 
clerk  of  the  county.  We  are  told,  the  people  have  been 
collecting  together  and  parading  in  sundry  places,  armed, 
and  firing  their  muskets  by  way  of  bravado.  We  also 
have  it  from  good  authority  that  Governor  Colden  yester- 
day sent  his  servant  round  to  some  of  the  leading  people, 
advising  them  to  arm  and  defend  themselves,  and  not 
deliver  their  arms.  In  consequence  of  which,  a  number 
of  people  collected  themselves  this  morning  to  retake  the 
few  arms  we  collected  yesterday,  but  for  some  reason  did 
not  proceed.  Captain  Hewlett,  of  Hempstead,  told  us  he 
had  his  company  together  last  Sunday,  and  said,  'had 
your  battalion  appeared,  we  should  have  warmed  their 
sides.'  On  the  whole,  had  we  the  battalion,  we  believe 
we  should  be  able  to  collect  a  very  considerable  number  of 
good  arms,  and  support  the  honor  of  Congress;  but  with- 
out it,  I  shall  not.    I  think,  if  the  battalion  is  sent  up,  the 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  27 

sooner  the  better.  Some  of  the  leading  men  of  Hempstead, 
whom  we  this  day  had  together,  prepared  to  call  the  town 
together  on  Monday  next,  and  consult  on  the  matter,  and 
return  some  answer  or  other  on  Tuesday  next,  and  seemed 
desirous  to  put  off  the  meeting  until  the  whole  Congress 
met.  Whether  they  mean  by  this  put  off  to  gain  time  to 
arm  and  prepare,  or  what  else,  we  know  not." 

From  the  tenor  of  this  report  nothing  was  clearer,  than 
that  the  slightest  step  toward  coercion  would  precipitate 
a  conflict  for  which  Congress  was  poorly  prepared.  I^early 
all  the  troops  which  the  Island  had  furnished,  were  en- 
camped at  the  eastern  end,  to  resist  the  landing  of  the  Bri- 
tish, who,  it  was  anticipated,  would  soon  evacuate  Boston. 
Embarrassed  with  the  difficulties  which  surrounded  it,  and 
alarmed  at  the  menacing  position  of  the  loyalists,  the 
provincial  Congress  recoiled  from  the  danger,  and  thus 
registered  a  confession  of  its  weakness.  Orders  were  at 
once  communicated  to  the  committee  appointed,  to  send 
in  all  the  arms  secured,  to  collect  such  as  were  readily 
obtainable,  and  return  to  the  city  within  two  days. 

A  committee  of  five  of  the  deputies  was  at  the  same 
time  directed  to  proceed  to  the  county,  now  deemed  in  a 
state  of  insurrection,  and  attend  the  meeting  to  be  held  at 
Hempstead  on  the  Monday  succeeding.  As  the  committee 
was  to  reach  Jamaica  on  Friday,  orders  were  sent  to 
employ  the  interim  in  using  every  prudent  means  for  col- 
lecting arms.  How  this  committee  sped  in  its  mission, 
we  are  left  without  information ;  but  that  it  was  wholly 
ineffective,  we  know  from  subsequent  events. 

Stout  Richard  Hewlett,  of  Hempstead,  had  been  trained 
in  a  rude  school  that  wonderfully  fitted  him  for  a  partisan 


28  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

officer.  Queens  county  had  furnished  two  hundred  and 
ninety  men  for  the  splendid  army  which  Abercrombie 
shattered  against  the  defenses  of  Ticonderoga.  These 
brave  men,  though  sadly  thinned  by  this  appalling  disaster, 
again  rallied  under  their  brave  and  enterprising  Colonel 
Isaac  Corsa  of  Flushing,  and  Major  Woodhull  of  Mastic, 
and  by  their  courage  and  endurance  contributed  greatly  to 
the  capture  of  Fort  Frontenac  by  Col.  Bradstreet.  Capt. 
Hewlett  commanded  a  company  in  both  of  these  expedi- 
tions, and  proved  an  active  and  daring  officer.  E'either 
the  tough  old  partisan,  nor  his  companion  in  arms.  Col. 
Corsa,  were  disposed  to  render  homage  to  this  new  go- 
vernment of  "  shop-keepers  and  tradesmen,"  as  the  old 
loyalists  termed  the  revolutionary  party.  "When  he  threat- 
ened to  "  warm  the  sides  "  of  Major  Williams's  battalion, 
his  jocular  phrase  had  a  stern  humor  in  it,  that  meant 
heavy  blows  and  hard  fighting. 

His  character  is  well  illustrated  by  an  anecdote  recorded 
of  his  subsequent  career  in  the  Revolution,  when,  at  the 
head  of  a  partisan  corps,  which  ravaged  the  eastern  end 
of  the  Island,  he  was  besieged  by  General  Parsons  at  Se- 
tauket.  Hewlett's  situation  was  one  of  imminent  hazard. 
Two  hundred  and  sixty  men,  in  a  feeble  entrenchment, 
surrounded  by  three  times  their  number,  offered  but 
small  hopes  of  a  successful  resistance.  Hewlett  demanded 
of  his  soldiers  if  they  desired  to  retreat.  The  response 
was  a  decided  "Ko."  "Then,"  replied  the  stern  Colonel, 
"I'll  stick  to  you  as  long  as  there  is  a  man  left."  The 
repulse  of  the  assaulting  party,  and  its  withdrawal  from 
the  Island,  showed  how  much  was  meant  by  these  words. 
The  old  ranger  was  now  active  in  organizing  his  forces. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


29 


and  doubtless  enrolled  among  them  many  of  the  surviving 
companions  of  his  French  and  Indian  campaigns,  who 
had  long  before  seen  bloody  fields,  and  heard  the  angry 
roar  of  musketry  and  cannon.  With  the  temper  and  cou- 
rage of  Capt.  Hewlett  no  one  was  better  acquainted 
than  Major  Williams;  for  they  had  been  companions  in 
arms  in  the-  French  war,  and  had  fought  side  by  side 
through  the  forests  bordering  the  northern  lakes.  They 
had  both  raised  their  companies  on  Long  Island,  for  the 
campaign  under  Abercrombie  and  Bradstreet.  They  had 
fought  their  way  together  through  the  tangled  swamps, 
day  after  day,  when  the  woods  swarmed  with  their  savage 
foes ;  and  now  they  met  on  their  home  soil,  as  mortal  ene- 
mies. It  was,  perhaps,  the  knowledge  of  each  other's 
qualities  that  made  these  partisan  officers  reluctant  to  test 
them  in  actual  conflict. 

Each  party  was  now  arming  for  the  struggle.  The 
Associators,  who  were  not  already  in  active  service,  en- 
rolled themselves  under  a  military  organization,  every- 
where known  throughout  the  colonies  as  "  minute  men." 
At  Jamaica,  a  sufficient  number  of  whigs  associated  to 
form  a  company  nearly  sixty  strong,  who  elected  their 
officers,  and  reported  to  the  Congress  in  JSTew  York.  At 
Great  ITeck,  and  Cow  ITeck,  the  I^ew  England  influence 
was  so  strong  that  a  large  number  solemnly  declared  their 
section  of  the  township  independent  of  the  town  govern- 
ment of  Hempstead,  on  account  of  its  adhesion  to  the  crown. 

Thus,  on  September  23d,  1775,  the  first  declaration  of 
independence  in  these  colonies  took  place,  at  Cow  [N'eck,  in 
Queens  county,  by  the  secession  of  that  district  from  the 
royal  government  of  the  town  of  Hempstead.    So  import- 


30  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

ant  was  this  example  esteemed  by  Congress,  to  which  the 
minutes  of  the  meeting  were  transmitted,  that  it  ordered 
the  report  to  be  entered  at  large  upon  the  journal  of  the 
day,  and  passed  a  resolution  highly  commendatory  of  the  ac- 
tion, which  it  ratified  by  sending  commissions  to  the  officers 
elected.  Such  were  the  feeble  blows,  which  first  fell  upon 
the  wedge  that  separated  these  colonies  from  Great  Britain. 

The  leaders  of  the  revolutionary  party  encouraged  these 
acts  of  renunciation  of  established  government,  because 
they  detached  almost  insensibly,  thread  by  thread,  the 
strong  bonds  which  held  these  colonies  to  the  crown,  and 
prepared  them  for  the  great  design.  Thus,  the  narrow 
space  which  at  first  separated  the  Associators  and  the  loy- 
alists on  Long  Island  was  widening,  day  by  day.  Between 
them  already  yawned  an  impassable  gulf,  bridged  at  few 
points  by  the  common  sympathy  of  kindred  or  friendship. 
Even  these  frail  connections  were  now  parting.  Through- 
out all  the  stages  of  preparation  for  the  final  struggle, 
neither  party  relaxed  its  tension  for  a  moment.  The  issue 
of  the  polling  of  votes  at  Jamaica,  on  the  7th  of  November, 
for  the  election  of  deputies  to  the  new  Congress,  suffi- 
ciently evinced  this  rigidity  of  purpose.  One  thousand 
and  nine  votes  were  cast,  of  which  only  two  hundred  and 
twenty-one  were  in  favor  of  the  election  of  deputies;  while 
seven  hundred  and  eighty-eight  were  registered  against 
any  representation  in  the  provincial  Congress.  This  firm 
exhibition  of  the  popular  disfavor  of  revolutionary  senti- 
ments, appalled  the  Congress  of  ^^'ew  York;  and  for  two 
months  the  deputies  contented  themselves  with  fulminating 
their  resolves  against  the  contumacious  loyalists,  whose 
spirit  and  numbers  made  them  objects  of  dread. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  31 

The  stout  Indian  fighter,  Captain  Richard  Hewlett,  was 
storing  up  arms  and  ammunition  for  the  contest,  which  his 
discernment  warned  him  could  not  be  far  distant.  In  this 
he  was  freely  aided  by  the  grim  old  Governor  Tryon, 
whose  gubernatorial  chair  was  on  the  quarter  deck  of  the 
Asia  man  of  war,  cruising  about  the  mouth  of  the  har- 
bor, or  swinging  at  her  anchor  in  the  outer  bay.^  Not 
only  muskets  and  gunpowder,  but  a  cannon,  and  a  ship's 
gunner  to  work  it,  were  sent  to  Captain  Hewlett  by  Gov. 
Tryon,  to  whom  the  stern  humor  of  the  partisan  must 
have  greatly  commended  him.  Resolutions  and  procla- 
mations against  the  recusants  continued  to  be  passed  by 
the  Congress,  until  the  close  of  the  year  1775.  One  of 
these  is  suggestive  of  much  and  earnest  thought  to  the 
student  of  history.  After  reciting  the  facts  which  have 
been  already  narrated,  and  declaring  the  entire  counties 
of  Richmond  and  Queens  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  they 
ask  the  continental  Congress  to  advise  them  how  to  pro- 
ceed in  their  embarrassment.  In  this  petition  the  depu- 
ties reveal  the  secret  of  their  reluctance  to  commence 
coercive  measures  toward  the  loyalists  of  Long  Island, 
even  after  the  concentration  of  forces  in  the  city  had 
placed  the  means  within  their  power.  First,  the  ships  of 
war  in  the  harbor,  which  had  hitherto  observed  a  sort  of 

*  On  the  sixth  of  December,  1775,  Gov.  Tryon  wrote  to  the  Earl  of  Dart- 
mouth : 

"The  peaceable  demeanor  and  loyalty  of  the  inhabitants  of  Queens 
county,  vnth  a  firm  resolution  to  defend  their  families  and  property  from 
insult,  has  drawn  on  them  the  threatened  violence  of  Sears  and  his  adher- 
ents. But  unawed  by  these  threats,  it  is  believed  they  will  be  firm,  united, 
and  spirited  in  their  resistance  to  such  a  lawless  and  wicked  attack. 

"  Lieut.  Gov.  Colden  and  his  family  have  much  merit  in  promoting  this 
laudable  spirit  of  opposition  to  the  measures  of  committees  and  congresses, 
in  Queens  county." 


32 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


neutrality,  would  bring  their  guns  to  bear  upon  the  city, 
and  reduce  it  to  a  heap  of  ruins,  the  moment  the  severity 
of  actual  warfare  was  exercised  towards  the  loyalists. 
Secondly,  in  asking  Congress  to  employ  any  other  than 
New  York  troops  in  the  service  of  disarming  the  loyalists, 
the  deputies  acknowledge  the  little  reliance  they  placed 
upon  the  adherence  of  the  troops  of  that  colony,  filled  as 
the  ranks  were  by  a  draft  which  had  swept  into  them 
loyalist  and  whig  alike. 

The  petition  of  the  provincial  to  the  continental  Congress, 
was  acted  upon  without  delay.  The  question  was  one  of  too 
great  national  importance,  and  the  hazard  of  permitting  the 
counter-revolutionary  measures  to  culminate  in  resistance 
was  too  great,  to  admit  of  dalliance.  A  proclamation  ^  was 
of  course  issued,  for  in  parliamentary  or  congressional 
affairs,  nothing  can  be  done  without  proclamations ;  but  on 
this  occasion  the  continental  Congress  followed  up  their 
bulletin,  with  a  regiment  of  armed  men.  Col.  Heard,  of 
Woodbridge,  New  Jersey,  was  ordered  to  assume  command 

^"  Whereas  a  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  Queens  county  in  the  colony 
of  New  York,  being  incapable  of  resolving  to  live  and  die  freemen,  and 
being  more  disposed  to  quit  their  liberties  than  part  with  the  little  propor- 
tion of  their  property  that  may  be  necessary  to  defend  them,  have  deserted 
the  American  cause,  by  refusing  to  send  deputies  as  usual  to  the  convention 
of  the  colony,  and  avowing  by  a  public  declaration  an  unmanly  design  of 
remaining  inactive  spectators  of  the  present  contest,  vainly  flattering  them- 
selves, perhaps,  that  should  providence  declare  for  our  enemies  they  may 
purchase  their  mercy  and  favor  at  an  easy  rate ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  if  the 
war  should  terminate  in  favor  of  America,  that  then  they  may  enjoy,  without 
expense  of  blood  or  treasure,  all  the  blessings  resulting  from  that  liberty 
which  they  in  the  day  of  trial  had  abandoned,  and  in  defence  of  which  many 
of  their  more  virtuous  neighbors  and  coimtrymen  had  nobly  died ;  and 
although  the  want  of  public  spirit  observable  in  these  men  rather  excites 
pity  than  alarm,  there  being  little  danger  to  apprehend  either  from  their 
prowess  or  example,  yet  it  is  reasonable  that  those  who  refuse  to  defend 
their  country,  should  be  excluded  from  its  protection  and  prevented  from 
doing  injury ;  therefore,  etc." — Proceedings  Continental  Congress. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  33 

of  five  or  six  hundred  minute  men  of  that  state,  together 
with  two  companies  of  regulars  from  Lord  Stirling's  com- 
mand, and  proceed  at  once  to  Queens  county.  His  orders 
were  peremptory,  to  act  with  dispatch,  secrecy,  order  and 
humanity,  in  disarming  every  person  who  had  voted 
against  the  election  of  deputies.  The  poll  list  of  names  of 
the  recusant  electors  had  been  forwarded  to  Congress,  and 
a  copy  of  this  register  now  served  to  guide  Col.  Heard  in 
the  performance  of  his  duties.  Whoever  refused  imme- 
diate and  unconditional  compliance  with  the  order,  the 
Colonel  was  to  place  in  confinement.  Twenty-six  names 
were  furnished  to  him  of  prominent  citizens  of  Queens 
county,  who  were  asserted  to  he  leaders  of  the  disaffected; 
and  these  persons  were  to  be  secured  and  placed  in  con- 
finement. All  who,  in  the  exercise  of  the  natural  and 
legal  right  of  voting  according  to  their  own  judgment  and 
conscience,  had  given  their  names  against  the  election  of 
deputies,  were  placed  under  the  ban  of  the  revolutionary 
government,  and  deprived  of  every  right  and  privilege 
which  the  laws  could  give  them.  Nearly  eight  hundred 
freeholders  of  Queens  county  were  thus  put  out  of  protec- 
tion of  the  law.  All  persons  were  forbidden  to  trade  or 
hold  intercourse  with  them :  they  were  subject  to  arrest 
and  imprisonment,  the  moment  they  crossed  the  boundary 
of  the  county ;  no  lawyer  was  to  defend  them  when  ac- 
cused of  crime,  or  to  prosecute  any  claim  for  debt,  or  suit 
for  protection  from  outrage  or  robbery.  In  order  to  brand 
them  with  scorn,  and  make  them  as  obnoxious  as  possible 
to  the  community,  the  list  of  seven  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight  voters  was  ordered  to  be  published  for  a  month  in 

the  columns  of  the  colonial  newspapers. 
5 


34 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


Every  impartial  mind  will  revolt  at  the  severity  of  these 
measures,  unprovoked  as  they  were  by  any  acts  of  vio- 
lence, and  only  to  be  justified  in  the  whigs  on  the  ground 
of  self-preservation.  The  exercise  of  an  inalienable  right, 
in  the  only  manner  which  the  consciences  of  many  could 
approve,  was  the  feeble  pretext  for  the  oppression  of  a 
whole  community,  by  a  government  which  based  its  exist- 
ence on  the  right  of  every  people  to  legislate  for  itself. 
Although  the  narrative  of  the  expedition  conveys  the  idea 
of  unvarying  success,  and  all  the  reports  of  its  officers 
indicate  that  the  submission  was  complete,  yet  barbarous 
acts  occurred  during  its  progress  which  the  prudence  of 
the  officers  in  command  concealed  under  general  terms  — 
acts  which  were  the  precursors  of  a  bitter  partisan  warfare, 
that  desolated  the  Island  for  seven  years. 

It  was  not  until  the  17th  of  January,  that  the  regiment 
of  minute  men,  six  hundred  strong,  was  ready  to  march 
from  Woodbridge.  At  New  York,  where  it  arrived  on 
the  next  day,  the  regiment  was  reinforced  by  three  hun- 
dred men,  mostly  from  Lord  Stirling's  division,  under  the 
command  of  Major  De  Hart.  Unfortunately  his  detach- 
ment was  joined  at  New  York  by  a  volunteer  organization, 
composed  of  the  most  reckless  and  abandoned  of  her 
population,  who  had  either  made  soldiering  the  last  re- 
source of  a  dissipated  life,  or  who  had  early  learned  the 
vices  of  the  camp.  The  acceptance  of  their  services  was 
not  carrying  out  the  plan  contemplated  by  Congress,  which 
had  ordered  the  expedition  to  be  conducted  with  "  dis- 
patch, secrecy,  order,  and  humanity."  The  regulars,  under 
Major  De  Hart,  had  crossed  from  Elizabethtown  to  New 
York,  on  Wednesday  the  27th;  but  the  regiment  com- 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


35 


manded  by  Col.  Heard  not  having  arrived,  they  encamped 
at  Horn's  Hook  near  Hellgate,  until  Friday,  when  the  two 
detachments  united  and  crossed  to  Long  Island. 

As  the  object  of  the  expedition  was  secret,  this  route  was 
chosen,  to  execute  a  flanking  movement,  and  by  appear- 
ing suddenly  in  the  disaffected  county,  to  give  the  loyalists 
no  opportunity  for  collecting  in  force.  Every  step  on  the 
route  from  Brooklyn  ferry  would  have  passed  through  un- 
friendly territory,  and  fleet  messengers  would  have  warned 
the  loyalists  of  the  approach  of  the  detachment.  In  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  day  the  expedition  arrived  at  l!Tewtown, 
and  commenced  the  work  of  disarming  its  inhabitants. 

It  was  late  in  the  morning  of  the  next  day  before  Col. 
Heard  and  his  command  arrived  at  Jamaica,  everywhere 
disarming  the  farmers  whom  they  surprised  on  their  route, 
and  securing  the  persons  of  the  principal  loyalists,  whose 
names  they  found  on  their  list  of  the  proscribed.  While 
the  main  body  marched  slowly  along,  small  parties  of  men 
were  detached  at  every  cross-road  and  farm-lane,  who 
forced  an  entrance  into  the  houses,  and  dragged  from  his 
door  into  the  ranks  every  proprietor  who  had  the  misfor- 
tune to  be  known  as  a  loyalist.  Every  house  which  was 
pointed  out  by  the  officious  diligence  of  whig  neighbors, 
as  the  residence  of  one  who  had  not  signed  the  Associa- 
tion, was  entered  and  ransacked,  and  the  warrant  which 
licensed  this  violence  shielded  from  punishment  a  thou- 
sand barbarities.  So  flagrant  and  scandalous  were  many 
of  the  outrages  perpetrated  by  De  Hart's  forces  that  the 
officers  of  the  minute  men,  who  had  doubtless  been  chosen 
agreeably  to  the  orders  of  Congress  as  prudent  and  dis- 
creet men,"  were  shocked  at  their  license,  and  longed  to 


36 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


be  rid  of  their  disorderly  companions.  The  minute  men 
of  'New  Jersey  were  respectable  farmers  and  tradesmen, 
heads  of  families  in  many  instances;  and  these  humane 
men  scorned  the  petty  plunder  which  the  others  appro- 
priated, as  much  as  they  commiserated  the  distress  of 
which  they  were  compelled  to  be  the  authors.  Large 
numbers  of  the  proscribed  were  brought  in,  by  the  several 
detachments,  to  Jamaica;  and  the  sabbath  of  January 
20th,  1776,  was  employed  in  the  examination  and  disposi- 
tion of  the  prisoners.  Every  person  who  had  committed 
the  unpardonable  crime  of  voting  against  sending  deputies 
to  Congress  was  seized,  and  required  to  sign  an  obligation 
not  to  oppose  the  army  of  Congress,  or  aid  the  ministerial 
troops.  Those  who  refused  to  take  the  oath,  resisted  the 
violence  of  the  soldiers,  or  declined  to  surrender  their  arms, 
as  well  as  those  who  were  designated  as  royalist  leaders, 
were  not  permitted  to  escape  on  such  easy  terms,  but  were 
carried  along  as  prisoners. 

So  far  the  detachment  had  nowhere  met  with  the  re- 
sistance anticipated,  as  the  royalists  hitherto  had  had  no 
opportunity  for  mustering  in  force.  But  the  object  of  the 
expedition  being  now  thoroughly  disclosed,  it  was  appre- 
hended that  on  the  march  to  Hempstead  the  republicans 
would  meet  with  severe  opposition.  Capt.  Richard  Hew- 
lett, whose  courage  and  hatred  of  the  whig  cause  were 
well  known,  was  expected  to  exercise  his  talent  for  skir- 
mishing and  Indian  warfare,  in  harassing  the  march  of 
the  troops  wherever  a  favorable  position  offered.  There 
was  a  gathering  of  his  partisan  corps  at  Hempstead,  where 
the  angry  loyalists  were  eager  to  avenge  the  outrages  of 
their  neighbors,  and  the  invasion  of  their  own  soil.  But 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  37 

the  disarming  force  too  greatly  outnumbered  them  for  any 
hope  of  success,  and  those  who  could  not  endure  the  hate- 
ful submission  of  the  oath,  fled  to  the  swamps  and  forests. 
Everywhere  the  march  of  the  invading  force  spread  dis- 
may ;  and  the  inhabitants,  abandoning  all  ideas  of  resist- 
ance, surrendered  their  arms  and  made  their  submission, 
or  concealed  themselves  in  the  pathless  thickets  of  the 
great  bush-plains.  A  considerable  number,  to  whom  the 
oath  was  oppressive,  or  who  apprehended  sharp  treatment, 
exiled  themselves,  rowing  their  boats  at  night  through  some 
of  the  narrow  passages  which  intersected  the  salt  marshes, 
and  making  their  way  to  the  ships  in  the  harbor. 

Two  days  were  occupied  in  these  operations  at  Jamaica, 
and  as  many  at  Hempstead,  during  which  period  three 
hundred  firearms  were  delivered,  and  four  hundred  and 
seventy-one  names  were  subscribed  to  the  declaration  of 
submission.  Three  hundred  and  forty-nine  persons  sub- 
scribed to  an  oath  that  they  had  neither  concealed  nor  de- 
stroyed any  arms  or  ammunition.  Such  of  these  as  the 
disarming  force  obtained  were  so  nearly  worthless  as  to 
induce  the  remark  from  Major  De  Hart  "  that  it  was  possi- 
ble they  would  be  worth  the  freight  to  ]N"ew  York,  provided 
they  were  conveyed  by  water."  It  was  a  ready  mode  of 
cultivating  the  favor  of  the  disarming  officers,  for  the 
prisoners  to  express  great  irritation  against  those  who  had 
led  them  into  opposition,  and  had  deserted  them  in  the 
hour  of  danger.  This  is  a  favorite  means  of  defense  with 
weak  insurgents;  and,  although  the  credulity  of  the  go- 
vernmental authorities  is  rarely  imposed  upon  by  it,  they 
never  fail  to  publish  it  with  sound  of  trumpets,  not  only 
to  bring  the  insurgent  leaders  into  contempt  as  cowards, 


88 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


but  in  order  to  induce  the  popular  conviction  that  the  ac- 
tual disaffection  has  been  confined  to  a  small  number. 

At  Hempstead,  the  detachment  of  regulars  and  volunteers, 
under  De  Hart,  was  ordered  back  to  'New  York,  their  out- 
rageous conduct  having  become  intolerable,  and  their  aid 
unnecessary.  Col.  Heard,  the  commanding  officer  of  the  ex- 
pedition, was  admirably  fitted  for  his  ungrateful  mission. 
While  he  was  indefatigable  in  pursuit  of  the  objects  of  the 
movement,  he  never  forgot  that  his  opponents  were  his 
countrymen;  and,  although  his  circumspection  permitted 
nothing  essential  to  escape  his  notice,  he  was  humanely 
blind  to  much  that  a  more  tyrannical  officer  might  have 
seized  as  a  pretext  for  persecution.  All  who  approached 
him  were  treated  with  civility  and  kindness,  and,  so  far 
as  lay  in  his  power,  the  rigors  of  their  imprisonment  were 
ameliorated.^  He  was  anxious  to  be  rid  of  his  half  savage 
and  wholly  ungovernable  reinforcement.  Their  excesses 
must  have  greatly  pained  him,  and  he  accordingly  seized 
the  excuse  that  their  services  were  no  longer  necessary.^ 

^  In  some  instances  Col.  Heard  relaxed  the  severity  of  his  orders  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  cause  the  delinquents  to  be  notified  of  the  time  and  place  at 
wliich  he  would  meet  them,  and  they  were  permitted  to  remain  at  home 
until  the  time  specified.  The  royalists  resorted  to  all  the  devices,  in  which 
conquered  but  unsubdued  enemies  find  refuge  from  the  inquisitorial  mea- 
sures of  the  dominant  power.  While  Col.  Heard  was  quartered  at  the  house 
of  Nathaniel  Sammis  in  Hempstead,  from  which  village  almost  the  whole 
male  population  had  fled  on  his  approach,  one  Anthony  was  brought  before 
him;  who  escaped  both  imprisonment  and  the  oath,  by  simulating  the 
actions  of  an  idiot.  When  asked  what  he  knew  of  the  Asia  man  of  war, 
he  replied  "  Asia  ?  what  kind  of  an  animal  is  that ;  "  and  when  ordered  to 
remove  his  hat,  he  stood  perfectly  heedless  of  the  direction  until  it  was 
removed  by  a  soldier.  The  form  of  the  oath  was  then  placed  before  him  on 
the  table,  and  he  was  directed  to  put  his  hand  to  the  paper.  In  literal 
obedience  he  laid  his  broad  hand  upon  it,  when  he  was  thrust  out  of  the 
room  as  a  fool,  having  fairly  outwitted  his  captors. 

^  It  is  but  just  to  record  that  Major  De  Hart  attributed  the  disorderly  con- 
duct entirely  to  the  volunteers,  and  asserted  that  the  regulars  behaved  well. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


39 


As  soon  as  he  found  himself  unembarrassed  by  this 
band  of  marauders,  he  proceeded  through  the  county, 
and  reached  Jericho  on  Thursday,  with  nearly  seven 
hundred  men.  Scouting  parties  were  detached  to  Cedar 
swamp,  Hempstead  harbor,  and  Flushing,  while  he  swept 
his  "drag  net  through  ITorwich  and  Oyster  Bay.  From  this 
wide  circle  he  gathered,  as  the  result  of  this  expedition, 
one  thousand  arms,  of  all  sorts,  and  nineteen  of  the  pro- 
scribed loyalists,  seven  of  whom,  however,  evaded  his 
grasp.^  The  merits  of  Col.  Heard,  in  the  conduct  of  the 
expedition,  were  fully  acknowledged  by  the  Committee  of 
Safety  on  his  return  to  'New  York,  and  a  formal  vote  of 
thanks  was  tendered  him  for  his  prudence  in  the  execution 
of  his  unenviable  duty. 

The  nineteen  Long  Island  gentlemen  who  had  indulged 
themselves  in  voting  according  to  their  sense  of  duty,  or 
their  inclination,  and  who  had  thus  incurred  the  jealous 
dislike  of  the  predominant  party,  were  taken  as  prisoners 
to  Philadelphia,  where  it  was  expected  that  their  fate 
would  be  decided  by  the  continental  Congress.  This 
body,  however,  after  a  detention  of  the  unfortunate  gen- 
tlemen for  two  weeks,  was  glad  to  be  quit  of  them,  and 
ordered  their  return  to  New  York ;  thus  throwing  the 
responsibility  of  their  final  disposition  upon  the  provincial 

^  Although  the  expedition  had  met  ^\'1th  no  open  resistance  and  large 
numbers  had  made  their  submission,  jet  the  result  was  far  from  satisfac- 
tory. Not  more  than  half  of  the  disaffected,  who  had  cast  their  votes 
against  the  election  of  deputies,  had  appeared  before  the  military  tribunal. 
Numbers  of  the  most  obnoxious  had  fled  or  secreted  themselves,  before  the 
expedition  reached  the  insurrectionary  district,  and  it  was  found  that  a 
copy  of  the  list  of  the  proscribed  had  by  some  means  been  transmitted  to 
Hempstead  in  advance  of  the  arrival  of  Col.  Heard.  Most  of  the  guns  and 
side-arms  obtained  diiring  the  expedition  were  worthless,  as  the  loyalists 
hid  their  best  weapons. 


40 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


Congress,  which  was  requested  to  examine  the  prisoners, 
and  report  the  result  of  their  inquest  to  the  continental 
body.  They  were  accorded  the  privilege  of  occupying  a 
house  in  New  York,  of  their  own  selection,  on  the  easy 
condition,  enjoyed  in  common  with  other  citizens,  of  pay- 
ing for  it  from  their  own  purse;  but  they  were  likewise 
compelled  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  guard.  During  the 
period  of  their  detention,  which  terminated  in  ten  days, 
the  town  Committees  were  requested  to  furnish  evidence 
of  their  criminality;  but  the  shrewd  recusants  had  not 
been  so  complaisant  as  to  commit  any  act  that  could  be 
construed  into  treason  against  a  government  which  they 
had  never  acknowledged.  At  the  end  of  this  time  they 
were  permitted  to  return  to  their  homes,  with  the  thrifty 
condition,  which  the  economical  authorities  always  at- 
tached to  the  privileges  they  granted,  of  paying  all  the 
expenses  attending  their  deportation  and  imprisonment, 
and  giving  a  bond  to  preserve  the  peace  and  to  present 
themselves  when  summoned.^ 

^An  incident  of  the  campaign  is  recorded  in  a  newspaper  (Jan.  20,  1776), 
whicli  is  illustrative  of  the  temper  of  the  tories,  as  well  as  of  the  lack  of 
purpose  and  union  in  their  resistance.  "  On  Tuesday  last,  seven  hundred 
Jersey  militia,  and  three  hundred  of  the  Jersey  regulars,  entered  Queens 
county,  solely  to  disarm  those  who  are  opposed  to  American  liberty ;  and 
although  they  (the  tories)  have  repeatedly  declared  their  resolution  of  de- 
fending their  arms  at  the  risk  of  their  lives,  yet  such  is  the  badness  of  their 
cause  (which  no  doubt  rendered  them  cowards),  that  they  were  disarmed 
without  opposition  ;  and  the  generality  of  them  have  sworn  to  abide  by  the 
measures  of  the  Congress. 

"  Two  young  men  brought  seventeen  prisoners  into  Hempstead,  with 
their  arms ;  and  a  boy  of  twelve  years  of  age  demanded  a  pair  of  pistols  of  a 
man  who  had  threatened  to  shoot  the  first  person  that  attempted  to  disarm 
him,  but  with  fear  and  trembling  delivered  his  pistols  to  the  boy,  who 
brought  them  away  in  triumph." 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


41 


CHAPTER  n. 

Expeditions  against  the  Loyalists  of  Queens 
County. 

Amid  the  acrimony  and  bitterness  which  filled  the 
breasts  of  the  partisans  on  either  side,  on  Long  Island,  it 
is  pleasant  to  record  the  occasional  exercise  of  gentler 
emotions.  Many  an  earnest  whig  would  not  sacrifice  his 
humanity  to  the  dictates  of  party ;  though  it  was  a  danger- 
ous virtue  for  the  most  pronounced  of  revolutionists  to 
exhibit  toward  a  tory.  Timothy  Smith,  a  quiet  farmer  of 
Hempstead,  was  styled  an  "  inactive  whig,"  by  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  of  the  seceded  district  of  Great  IN'eck,  and 
fell  under  their  ban,  because,  when  cited  before  them  to 
give  evidence  against  his  neighbors,  he  forbore  to  come, 
on  the  pretense  of  urgent  business.  He  was  at  once  re- 
ported to  Gen.  Woodhull,  president  of  the  provincial 
Congress,  as  a  person  to  be  sharply  dealt  with.  The 
words  of  his  condemnation  are  so  peculiar,  in  their  demure 
suggestiveness,  that  they  must  be  transcribed  literally,  in 
order  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  social  tyranny  of  the  time : 

We  think  him  too  good  an  evidence  to  escape  your 
notice,  as  well  as  to  convince  him  that  all  business  must 
bend  to  the  preservation  of  our  country." 

So  little  satisfactory  was  the  result  of  Colonel  Heard's 

expedition,  that  he  had  returned  barely  a  month  when 

another  was  contemplated.    In  the  meanwhile  the  most 
6 


42 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  enroll  all  the  whig  residents 
of  the  Island  into  the  militia,  four  regiments  of  which 
were  designed  to  be  raised,  ostensibly  for  the  defense  of 
Long  Island,  but  in  fact  to  overawe  and  keep  the  loyalists 
in  check.  Letters  were  sent  to  all  the  leading  whigs,  urg- 
ing them  to  activity  in  the  effort ;  but  before  much  had 
been  accomplished,  a  more  vigorous  brain  and  a  sterner 
will  had  been  placed  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  ^ew  York, 
to  which  circular  letters  were  abominations. 

"Washington,  aware  that  the  British,  now  closely  be- 
leaguered in  Boston,  could  hold  that  city  only  a  few  days 
longer,  was  turning  an  anxious  eye  to  'New  York,  whither 
he  foresaw  that  they  would  soon  remove.  In  a  letter  to 
Joseph  Reed,  dated  January  31st,  1776,  the  Commander- 
in-chief  says  :  "In  my  last  I  think  I  informed  you  of  my 
sending  General  Lee  to  New  York,  with  the  intention  of 
securing  the  tories  on  Long  Island,  and  preventing,  if 
possible,  the  king's  troops  from  making  a  lodgment  there; 
but  I  fear  the  Congress  will  be  duped  by  the  representatives 
from  that  government,  or  yield  to  them  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  become  marplots  to  the  expedition.  The  city  seems 
to  be  entirely  under  the  government  of  Tryon  and  the 
captain  of  the  man  of  war."  A  short  time  prior  to  this 
date,  Washington  had  written  to  Schuyler  in  compliment- 
ary terms,  blended  with  no  little  severity  of  reflection 
upon  the  neglect  of  the  provincial  Congress  of  New  York 
to  treat  the  tories  with  harsher  measures:  "I  congratulate 
you  upon  the  success  of  your  expedition  into  Tryon  county. 
I  hope  General  Lee  will  execute  a  work  of  the  same  kind 
on  Long  Island.  It  is  high  time  to  begin  with  our  in- 
ternal foes,  when  we  are  threatened  with  such  severity  of 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  43 

chastisement  from  our  kind  parent  without."  To  Gen. 
Lee  he  had  written  on  the  23d :  "I  received  your  favor 
of  the  16th  instant,  and  am  exceedingly  sorry  to  hear  that 
Congress  countermanded  the  embarkation  of  the  two  regi- 
ments intended  against  the  tories  of  Long  Island.  They, 
I  doubt  not,  had  their  reasons ;  but  to  me  it  appears  that 
the  period  is  arrived  when  nothing  less  than  the  most 
decisive  and  vigorous  measures  should  be  pursued."  The 
possession  of  Long  Island  was  indispensable  to  the  oc- 
cupation of  E'ew  York,  and  the  firm  loyalty  of  its  inha- 
bitants to  the  King  filled  his  mind  with  apprehension. 

The  military  experience  and  ardent  zeal  of  Gen.  Charles 
Lee  gave  him  apparently  superior  fitness  for  the  command 
of  this  important  position,  and  he  was  accordingly  dis- 
patched to  assume  the  office  of  military  commandant  of 
N"ew  York  and  Long  Island.  The  military  sagacity  of 
this  extraordinary  man  anticipated  every  movement  which 
the  enemy  subsequently  made.  The  strategic  importance 
of  Long  Island  was  so  clearly  visible  to  his  perception, 
quickened  by  great  experience  in  the  art  of  war,  that  he 
awaited,  with  an  impatience  which  he  did  not  attempt  to 
conceal,  the  slow  and  cautious  movements  of  the  delibera- 
tive body,  which  could  thwart,  if  it  could  not  control  him. 
His  authority,  as  well  as  that  of  all  the  continental  officers 
at  this  time,  was  so  ill-defined,  that  it  was  hardly  possible 
to  decide  where  the  civil  power  terminated  and  the  mili- 
tary authority  began.  General  Lee  had  scarcely  arrived 
in  ^ew  York  before  he  decided  that  the  entire  loyalist 
population  of  Long  Island  must  be  removed,  to  secure  the 
safety  of  I^ew  York.  Sharper  and  more  incisive  measures 
than  the  provincial  Congress  had  found  nerve  to  perform, 


44 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


would  only  be  characteristic  actions  of  Gen  Lee,  and  for 
the  performance  of  such  he  had  been  selected. 

During  the  month  of  February  a  regiment  of  troops 
commanded  by  Col.  Ward  had  been  quartered  in  Brook- 
lyn, and  billeted  on  the  farmers  from  Gowanus  to  Walla- 
bout  bay.  Gen  Lee  had  planned  the  line  of  fortifications 
connecting  these  two  points,  afterward  so  memorable  in 
the  siege  of  Brooklyn,  and  this  regiment  was  now  employed 
in  their  construction.  In  the  journal  of  the  provincial 
Congress  are  found  many  details  relating  to  this  work, 
which  indicate  his  energy  and  zeal.  These  are  shown  by 
his  demand,  on  one  day,  for  a  certain  number  of  pots  and 
pans,  and  on  another,  by  a  requisition  for  straw  to  fill  the 
bed-sacking  of  sick  soldiers.  At  length  he  obtained  the 
appointment  of  a  committee,  to  fix  the  number  of  articles 
with  which  the  Brooklyn  citizens  were  to  furnish  the 
soldiers  of  Col.  Ward's  regiment,  at  their  places  of  billet. 
The  Congressional  archives  furnish  documents  which  ex- 
hibit on  the  part  of  those  thrifty  citizens  more  solicitude 
regarding  their  payment  for  these  billets,  "  and  the  cribs, 
bed-cases,  bolsters,  pots,  trammels,  tongs,  shovels,  and- 
irons, axes,  candlesticks,  benches,  buckets,  firewood,  can- 
dles, straw,  and  house  room,"  as  specified  by  the  Congres- 
sional resolution,  than  for  the  success  of  the  continental 
arms.  It  is  gratifying  to  discover  that  Congress  allowed 
them  seven  shillings  currency  a  week  for  sheltering  ofii- 
cers  under  their  roofs,  and  one  shilling  and  sixpence  for 
affording  the  same  hospitality  to  private  soldiers. 

Col.  Ward  found  many  embarrassments  in  the  progress 
of  his  work  of  fortifying  the  village  of  Brooklyn.  The 
necessary  brush  for  fascines,  wood  for  pickets,  and  other 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  45 

timber  used  in  the  construction  of  the  works,  could  only 
be  obtained  by  application  to  the  TsTew  York  Congress, 
which,  instead  of  issuing  peremptory  orders  for  their  seizure 
as  necessary  materials  of  war,  sent  a  polite  request  to  the 
farmers  of  Brooklyn  to  permit  these  articles  to  be  taken 
from  their  lands,  and  promised  that  the  vouchers  given 
in  receipt  for  them  should  be  paid  in  the  same  manner  as 
similar  tokens  of  indebtedness,  in  the  city  of  l^ew  York. 
This  scrupulous  and  ceremonious  method  of  preparing 
for  the  stern  ordeal  of  the  bloody  battle-field  was  gall  and 
wormwood  to  the  irate  Gen.  Lee. 

A  convention  had  been  agreed  upon  between  Gov.  Try- 
on,  who  controlled  the  movements  of  the  ships  of  war  Asia 
and  Dutchess,  and  the  provincial  Congress,  by  which  the 
latter  permitted  fresh  meat,  vegetables,  and  other  food  to  be 
carried  on  board  the  vessels,  while  they  forebore  to  bring 
their  guns  to  bear  upon  the  insurgent  city.    "  This,"  said 
the  General,  "  is  not  making  war ;  I  shall  interdict  it."  It 
had  been  the  custom  to  permit  boats  to  leave  the  city,  in 
every  direction,  and  at  any  time,  without  question.  Gen. 
Lee  stationed  a  line  of  sentinels  along  the  shore,  and  com- 
pelled the  occupants  of  every  boat  to  submit  to  "inspection, 
at  the  risk  of  being  detained  if  conveying  supplies  that 
might  be  useful  to  the  enemy.    The  sturdy  boatmen  and 
farmers,  unaccustomed  to  military  control  and  impatient  of 
its  exercise,  were  sometimes  brought  back  to  the  shore  by 
the  sharp  hail  of  a  musket  ball  fired  over  their  heads.  Con- 
gress, in  its  turn,  grew  restive  under  the  sharp  rule  of  this 
stern  warrior,  who  treated  its  meddlesome  resolutions  of 
inquiry  with  a  scorn  that  was  often  pungent  with  anger. 
He  chafed  at  such  restraints  from  these  dull  citizens,  with  a 


46  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

fiery  impatience,  that  sought  some  ohject  upon  which  to  vent 
its  ire.  i^ever  had  IsTew  York  seen  a  commander  so  full  of 
intelligent  purpose,  and  of  the  energy  which  drives  right  on 
to  its  accomplishment,  so  beset,  so  hampered,  and  so  irate. 

Unfortunately  for  the  loyalists  of  Long  Island,  Gen  Lee, 
turning  like  a  hunted  bear  upon  the  first  object  that  could 
satiate  his  wrath,  issued  orders  to  seize  some  of  the  princi- 
pal leaders  among  them;  and,  without  a  moment's  delay, 
or  the  intervention  of  those  tedious  legal  formalities  that 
have  been  established  to  prove  the  identity  of  the  culprit, 
he  deported  to  another  colony  the  victims  of  whig  denun- 
ciation. One  of  the  persons  thus  banished  from  Queens 
county  was  a  gentleman  named  Gale,  who  was  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  get  his  case  brought  to  the  notice  of  Congress. 
This  body  of  men,  who  possessed  the  rare  merit  among 
revolutionists  of  a  humanity  which  partisanship  could  not 
chill,  directed  their  secretary,  Egbert  Benson,  to  ascertain 
the  circumstances  of  the  arrest  and  banishment  of  Gale, 
by  communicating  with  Gen.  Lee.  The  latter  answered, 
in  a  postscript  to  a  long  letter,  that  in  regard  to  Mr.  Gale, 
who  had  been  arrested  and  conveyed  into  Connecticut,  he 
agreed  with  the  secretary  that  the  apprehension  and  pun- 
ishment of  citizens  was  not  his  province,  and  that  such 
power  was  only  vested  in  the  provincial  Congress.  But, 
irregular  as  it  was,  he  informed  the  secretary  that  he  had 
been  assured  by  many  respectable  men  that  Gale  was  a 
most  dangerous  man,  and  ought  not  to  be  suftered  to  re- 
main on  Long  Island,  where  an  enemy  was  more  danger- 
ous than  in  any  other  part  of  America. 

Amid  the  tokens  of  resentment,  which  appear  in  his 
letter,  Gen.  Lee  vouchsafes  the  information  that  he  has 


INTRODTTCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


47 


ordered  Col.  Ward,  then  stationed  at  the  Wallabout,  to 
secure  the  whole  body  of  tories  on  Long  Island.^  How 
far  the  Colonel  had  proceeded  with  these  arbitrary  arrests 
and  deportations,  and  what  number  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Brooklyn  and  the  adjacent  towns  had  been  so  summarily 
disposed  of,  is  not  known ;  but  other  names  than  such  as 
appear  on  the  journals  of  Congress,  are  found  in  the  letters 
and  publications  of  the  day.  The  jealousy  of  Lee's  rapid 
assumption  of  power,  the  humanity  of  the  deputies,  and 
their  fear  that  the  grim  and  haughty  Tryon  would  retaliate 
with  the  long-range  cannon  and  mortars  on  board  the 
Asia  and  Dutchess,  combined  to  make  Congress  dread  the 
effects  of  the  precipitate  energy  of  the  district  command- 
ant. Complaints  of  the  severity  with  which  the  General's 
orders  were  executed,  were  received  by  the  deputies  from 
many  of  the  most  undoubted  whigs  on  Long  Island. 

One  of  Lee's  most  active  agents  in  the  work  of  clearing 
the  Island  "  of  the  whole  body  of  tories,"  was  Lieut.  Col. 
Isaac  Sears,  deputy  adjutant-general  of  the  forces  in  New 
York.    His  activity  and  zeal,  tinged  perhaps  with  a  little 

^ "  I  have  this  instant  received  your  favor,  relating  to  Mr.  Gale  who  was 
apprehended  and  conveyed  into  Connecticut.  I  agree,  sir,  entirely  with 
you,  that  the  apprehension,  trial  and  punishment  of  citizens  is  not  my  pro- 
vince, but  that  of  the  pro\dncial  Congress.  But  irregular  as  it  was,  I  had 
the  assurances  of  many  respectable  men,  that  he  was  a  most  dangerous 
man,  and  ought  not  to  be  suffered  to  remain  on  Long  Island,  where  an  enemy 
is  perhaps  more  dangerous  than  in  any  part  of  America.  However,  their 
assurance  and  my  opinion  form  no  excuse,  and  I  heartily  repent  that  I  did 
not  refer  him  to  you,  his  proper  judges.  I  must  inform  you  now,  sir,  that 
in  consequence  of  the  last  instructions  from  the  continental  Congress,  to  put 
this  city  and  its  environs  in  a  state  of  defense,  I  have  ordered  Col.  Ward  as 
a  previous  measure  to  secure  the  whole  body  of  professed  tories  on  Long 
Island.  When  the  enemy  is  at  our  door,  forms  must  be  dispensed  with. 
My  duty  to  you,  to  the  continental  Congress,  and  to  my  own  conscience, 
have  dictated  the  necessity  of  the  measure." —  Gen.  Lee  to  the  Continental 
Congress.   Journal  of  Provincial  Congress,  p.  343. 


48 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


uiiscnipulousDess,  that  enabled  him  to  assume  responsibili- 
ties which  would  have  staggered  greater  men,  were  quali- 
ties which  greatly  recommended  him  for  this  service  to  his 
General.  His  first  report  to  Lee  indicates  that  the  feeling 
with  which  he  viewed  a  tory,  was  very  like  that  which  a 
cavalier  of  Prince  Rupert's  staff  must  have  entertained  for 
a  rascally  roundhead ;  and  he  entered  upon  the  hunt  of  the 
poor  loyalists,  with  the  eager  spirit  of  a  genuine  sportsman. 
Captain  Richard  Hewlett  had  received  special  attention 
from  Gen.  Lee,  who  had  ordered  Col.  Sears  to  permit  no 
conditions  to  be  offered  to  him,  but  at  every  hazard  to 
secure  his  person,  and  send  him  a  prisoner  to  New  York. 
Captain  Hewlett's  character  as  a  hard  fighter,  and  his  emi- 
nent fitness  as  a  partisan  leader,  were  thoroughly  appre- 
ciated by  Gen.  Lee,  whose  military  experience  enabled  him 
at  once  to  place  a  just  estimate  upon  the  qualities  of  the 
man,  from  the  narration  of  his  services  in  the  French  war. 

Col.  Sears  arrived  at  !N'ewtown  on  March  6th,  with  a 
company  of  regulars,  and  compelled  the  attendance  of  four 
of  the  principal  loyalists,  to  whom  he  proffered  the  alter- 
native of  taking  an  oath,  the  terms  of  which  had  been 
doubtless  concocted  by  Lee  himself,  or  of  being  immedi- 
ately exiled  from  the  Island.  This  new  oath,  which  he  says 
they  swallowed  as  hard  as  if  it  were  a  four  pound  shot," 
probably  included  some  humiliating  concession,  which 
those  who  had  already  taken  the  oath  prescribed  by  the 
Committee  of  Safety,  found  difficult  of  deglutition.  On 
the  next  day  Col.  Sears  sent  out  his  scouting  parties,  which 
beat  up  the  country  lanes  and  farm-houses  for  the  capture 
of  fugitive  loyalists ;  but  the  alarm  had  become  general, 
and  he  was  able  to  secure  only  five  of  the  proscribed 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


49 


persons.  These  he  found  to  be  all  "  tories  of  the  first 
rank,''  for  the  Colonel  would  hunt  no  common  game; 
and  so  persuasive  and  concise  were  his  arguments,  exile 
or  the  oath,  that  they  followed  the  example  of  their  com- 
rades and  swallowed  the  latter.^ 

The  tories  had  been  so  often  hunted  that  they  were  now 
quick  to  take  the  alarm,  and  fly  to  the  numerous  places 
of  concealment  which  they  had  provided,  l^ot  a  few  ot 
the  loyalists  qf  Queens  county  were  in  outlying  during 
the  whole  winter,  so  frequent  and  ardent  was  the  pursuit ; 
and  it  is  probable  that  these  hiding-places  were  rendered 
as  comfortable  as  the  rigor  of  the  season  would  permit. 
Col.  Sears  complained,  that  the  houses  were  so  scattered 
that  he  found  it  impossible  to  catch  many  of  the  proscribed, 
without  horses  to  pursue  them ;  but  declared,  in  his  letter 
to  Lee,  that  he  should  exert  himself  to  the  utmost  to  cap- 
ture the  ringleaders,  and  believed  that  he  should  effect  it 
in  five  days,  l^otwithstanding  his  stout  words,  the  Colo- 
nel was  evidently  half  in  despair,  and  wholly  exasperated, 
by  the  readiness  with  which  the  intended  victims  eluded 
the  pursuit.  "  I  assure  your  honor,"  he  says,  "  that  there 
are  a  set  of  villains  in  this  county,  the  better  half  of 

^  Col.  Sears  to  Gen.  Lee.  Jamaica,  March  7th,  1776. 

Sir :  Yesterday  I  arrived  at  Newtown  with  a  captain's  company  and  ten- 
dered the  oath  to  four  of  the  greatest  tories,  which  they  swallowed  as  hard 
as  if  it  was  a  four  pound  shot  they  were  trying  to  get  down.  On  this  day 
at  11  o'clock  I  came  here,  when  I  sent  out  scouting  parties,  and  have  been 
able  to  catch  but  five  tories,  and  they  of  the  first  rank,  who  swallowed  the 
oath.  The  houses  are  so  scattered  it  is  impossible  to  catch  many  without 
horses  to  ride  after  them  ;  but  I  shall  exert  myself  to  catch  the  greatest  part 
of  the  ringleaders,  and  believe  I  shall  effect  it,  but  not  in  less  than  five  days. 
I  can  assure  your  honor,  there  are  a  set  of  villains  in  this  county,  the  better 
half  of  whom  are  waiting  for  support,  and  intend  to  take  up  arms.  Nothing 
else  will  do  but  sending  the  ringleaders  to  a  place  of  security. 

Lieut.  Col.  Isaac  Sears,  Dep.  Ad.  Gen. 

7 


50  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

whom  are  waiting  for  support,  and  intend  to  take  up  arms. 
IS'othing  else  will  do  but  sending  the  ringleaders  to  a 
place  of  security." 

Col.  Sears  extended  his  march  to  Jamaica  and  Flushiiig, 
and  performed  the  functions  of  his  office  with  such  severity 
that  before  the  five  days  had  expired  a  messenger,  dis- 
patched liom  the  Committee  of  Safety  for  the  seceded 
district  of  Great  Neck,  appeared  at  the  door  of  Congress, 
and  urgently  demanded  a  hearing,  on  behalf  of  the 
alarmed  citizens  of  Queens  county.  Daniel  Whitehead 
Kissam,  a  well  known  member  of  the  Great  E'eck  Com- 
mittee, on  the  twelfth  of  March,  made  a  statement  to 
Congress  of  Col.  Sears'  proceedings,  that  aroused  both 
alarm  and  resentment  in  that  body.  Among  the  pro- 
scribed persons  arrested  by  Col.  Sears  was  Captain  Jacob 
Mott,  who  had  made  his  humble  petition  to  Congress  for 
pardon,  and  had  been  released  on  taking  the  prescribed 
oath.  When  apprehended,  and  carried  a  prisoner  before 
Col.  Sears,  with  natural  resentment  for  the  indignity,  he 
refused  at  first  to  take  the  new  oath,  and  presented  the 
certificate  of  Congress  that  he  had  been  restored  by  that 
body  to  good  standing  as  a  citizen ;  but  the  puissant  Colo- 
nel would  not  deign  to  look  at  it.  Captain  Mott  was  com- 
pelled either  to  go  into  exile,  and  endure  the  restraint 
and  degradation  of  a  prison,  or  take  the  new  oath.  Hav- 
ing complied  with  the  requisition,  he  was  allowed  to 
depart,  taking  a  copy  of  the  oath. 

Captain  Mott,  and  three  of  his  neighbors  who  had  suf- 
fered the  same  indignity,  by  publicly  stating  the  circum- 
stances of  their  re-arrest,  were  making  more  proselytes  for 
the  crown  in  a  single  day  than  Col.  Sears  and  his  soldiers 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  51 

could  apprehend  in  a  month.  The  leading  loyalists  every- 
where instilled  the  idea,  that  submission  and  neutrality 
were  no  safeguards,  and  that  the  promise  of  Congress  to 
permit  those  who  took  the  oath  to  live  without  further 
molestation,  was  illusory  and  insincere.  The  zealous  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  for  Great  l^eck  and  Cow  J^eck  were 
alarmed  at  the  increasing  confidence  of  the  royalists,  and 
the  coolness  of  the  friends  of  liberty,  caused  by  the  impo- 
litic severity  of  Lee's  agent.  Perhaps  a  little  jealousy  for 
their  newly  acquired  authority  blended  with  other  motives 
in  the  minds  of  the  Committee;  but,  as  we  have  seen,  they 
lost  no  time  in  dispatching  one  of  their  number,  with  their 
earnest  remonstrance,  to  the  Congress  in  I^ew  York  They 
desired  to  ba  informed  by  what  authority  Col.  Isaac  Sears 
had  intruded  himself  with  an  armed  force  into  the  limits 
of  their  district,  and  had  taken  upon  himself  to  impose  a 
new  test  upon  persons  who  had  already  made  their  compo- 
sition with  the  constituted  authorities.  Mr.  Kissam  stated 
"that  the  people  of  Hempstead  were  much  distressed,  and 
the  active  committee  of  Great  E"eck  and  Cow  l^eck  as 
greatly  dissatisfied;  for  the  opinion  was  gaining  ground 
that  there  was  no  safety  in  adhering  to  Congress,  and  that 
belief  was  tending  to  convert  whigs  into  tories." 

A  long  debate  ensued  on  the  motion  to  require  Col. 
Sears  to  appear  before  Congress,  and  exhibit  his  authority 
for  his  conduct  of  the  expedition  against  the  tories  on  Long 
Island.  As  the  hand  of  Gen.  Lee  was  clearly  visible  in  the 
aft'air,  the  deputies  were  reluctant  to  enter  upon  an  investi- 
gation which  would  surely  result  in  an  open  rupture  with 
him;  but,  although  action  upon  the  motion  was  postponed, 
communication  was  had  with  Col.  Sears,  in  answer  to  which 


52 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


he  returned  his  letter  of  instructions  from  Gen.  Lee.  On 
the  sixth  of  March  the  struggle  between  the  provincial  Con- 
gress and  Gen.  Lee  terminated,  to  their  mutual  satisfaction 
doubtless,  in  his  relief  from  command  of  the  district ;  Lord 
Stirling  having  on  that  day  been  ordered  to  the  post.^ 

There  was  at  this  time  in  the  colony  of  'New  York  no 
department  of  power  which  could,  by  any  license  of  speech, 
be  called  a  Government.  The  contineotal  Congress  at 
Philadelphia  was  slowly,  by  common  consent,  concentrat- 
ing the  scattered  elements  of  authority,  while  the  provincial 
Congress  of  New  York,  uncertain  of  the  extent  of  its 
own  power,  experimented  daily  to  ascertain  it.  Unprac- 
tised in  the  machinery  of  government,  the  moderate  and 
patriotic  men  of  which  it  was  composed,  erred  both  in 
assuming  and  in  declining  the  essential  responsibilities  of 
their  office.  An  illustration  of  the  violent  partisanship  of  the 
time,  and  the  turbulent  temper  of  the  populace  of  the  city, 
is  afforded  by  the  narration  of  the  conduct  of  Christopher 

^  For  the  benefit  of  those  who  find  pleasure  in  tracing  in  detail  the  trou- 
bled course  of  events  on  Long  Island  at  this  period,  this  characteristic  letter 
of  Gen.  Lee  is  appended  : 

Lieut.  Col.  Isaac  Sears.  New  York,  March  5th,  1776. 

Sir :  As  I  have  received  information  from  the  Commander-in-chief,  that 
there  is  reason  soon  to  expect  a  very  considerable  army  of  the  enemy,  it 
appears  to  me  I  should  be  in  the  highest  degree  culpable  —  I  should  be 
responsible  to  God,  my  own  conscience,  and  the  continental  Congress  of 
America  —  in  suffering,  at  so  dangerous  a  crisis,  a  knot  of  professed  foes  to 
American  liberty  to  remain  any  longer  within  our  own  bosom,  either  to  turn 
openly  against  us  in  arms,  in  conjunction  with  the  enemy,  or  covertly  to 
furnish  them  with  intelligence,  and  carry  on  a  correspondence,  to  the  ruin  of 
their  country  ;  I  must  desire  you  will  offer  a  copy  of  this  test,  enclosed,  to 
the  people  of  whom  I  send  you  a  list.  Their  refusal  will  be  considered  an 
avowal  of  their  hostile  intentions.  You  are  therefore  to  secure  their  persons 
and  send  them  up,  without  loss  of  time,  as  irreclaimable  enemies  to  their 
country,  to  close  custody  in  Connecticut.  Richard  Hewlett  is  to  have  no 
conditions  offered  to  him,  but  to  be  secured  without  ceremony.  Chas.  Lee, 
Maj .  Gen. — American  Archives. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  53 

Duyckinck,  made  in  Congress  on  the  19tli  of  Februsrry, 
by  Comfort  Sands,  a  native  of  Queens  county,  and  one  of 
the  deputies  from  the  city  of  !N'ew  York. 

Among  the  numerous  revolutionary  tribunals,  clubs  and 
committees,  which  constituted  the  power  or  dictated  the 
course  of  government,  was  the  committee  of  Mechanics,  of 
I^ew  York  city,  whose  chairman  was  Christopher  Duyck- 
inck. This  violent  and  restless  man,  like  most  of  those 
who  obtain  the  position  of  leader  of  the  populace  in  times  of 
public  disorder,  combined  the  zeal  of  a  fanatic  in  the  revo- 
lutionary cause,  with  the  unscrupulous  purposes  of  a  dema- 
gogue. During  the  recess  of  the  ^ew  York  Cougress, 
from  December  22d,  1775,  to  February  12th,  1776,  Comfort 
Sands  had,  by  its  order,  formed  one  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety,  to  which  were  delegated  most  of  the  powers  of  that 
body.  lN"on-intercourse  with  the  recusants  of  Long  Island 
had  been  ordered  by  Congress,  some  time  previously ;  and 
so  rigidly  was  it  maintained,  that  not  only  were  they  pro- 
hibited from  selling  any  of  their  commodities,  which  all 
other  persons  were  forbidden  to  purchase,  but  all  such  goods 
exposed  for  sale  were  liable  to  seizure  and  confiscation. 

One  day  a  boatman,  from  Queens  county,  brought  to 
the  city  a  periagua  loaded  with  wood,  three-fourths  of 
which  were  proven  to  belong  to  friends  of  Congress,  and 
were  therefore  permitted  by  Mr.  Sands  to  be  sold.  The 
confiscation  of  the  remainder,  belonging  probably  to  one 
of  his  old  neighbors,  seemed  perhaps  so  harsh  a  measure 
to  the  humane  committee-man  that  he  directed  its  return 
to  the  owner.  The  ire  of  Christopher  Duyckinck,  who,  as 
leader  of  a  Jacobin  club,  held  the  orders  of  Congress  in 
contempt,  was  excited  by  this  lenity  to  one  of  the  disaf- 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


fected ;  but  as  the  tory  wood  was  beyond  his  reach,  and  the 
owner  resident  in  a  district  where  Duyckinck  would  have 
found  it  dangerous  to  serve  a  process,  he  determined  to  make 
reprisals  upon  Mr.  Sands,  whose  humanity  was  so  distaste- 
ful to  him.  As  a  compensation  for  the  loss  of  the  fuel, 
Duyckinck,  either  by  personal  violence,  or  by  more  prudent 
thieving,  took  possession  of  a  watch  belonging  to  Mr.  Sands. 
As  an  excuse  for  this  outrage,  Duyckinck  alleged  that  he 
had  had  the  right  to  seize  the  contraband  wood,  which  ha 
claimed  to  be  of  the  value  of  forty  shillings  and  sixpence; 
and  as  that  loss  had  occurred  through  Mr.  Sands'  violation 
of  duty,  he  held  him  personally  responsible  for  it. 

Duyckinck  was  summoned  before  the  provincial  Con- 
gress, at  its  next  sitting  in  l^ew  York,  and  admitted  the 
truth  of  Mr.  Sands'  statement,  justifying  his  conduct  by  the 
resolves  of  that  body  relating  to  the  delinquents  in  Queens 
county,  which  had  placed  them  out  of  the  protection  of 
the  laws.  The  popular  leader  was  not  disposed  to  humble 
himself  before  Congress,  and  would  neither  return  the 
watch,  purloined  from  one  of  its  members,  nor  admit  that 
he  had  assumed  unwarranted  power.  The  Congress  felt 
too  sensibly  how  powerless  it  was  to  punish  the  audacious 
demagogue,  with  the  city  mob  at  his  back,  and  permitted 
him  to  retire  without  decision  on  his  case.  It  was  neces- 
sary, however,  for  its  own  dignity  and  protection,  that  the 
matter  should  not  be  left  to  slumber  without  further  notice, 
and  in  a  few  days  the  doorkeeper  was  directed  to  summon 
Duyckinck  before  the  house.  To  exhibit  his  contempt 
and  defiance  of  that  body  in  the  most  public  manner,  the 
demagogue  called  in  a  number  of  his  comrades  as  auditors 
of  his  contumelious  reply  to  the  messenger :  "  Tell  the 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  55 

Congress  that  I  deny  their  authority  to  summon  me,  or  to 
meddle  in  the  matter,  and  that  I  will  not  attend  upon  them 
until  they  expel  Sands  from  the  house,  for  he  is  a  usurper 
and  a  coward;  or  until  they  bring  me  with  a  file  of  mus- 
keteers." Even  this  insolent  defiance  did  not  sting  the 
deputies,  and  arouse  sufficient  resentment  to  cause  the  arrest 
of  the  vaporing  demagogue;  for  a  motion  requesting  Gene- 
ral Lee  to  take  him  into  custody  was  laid  on  the  table. 
The  next  day,  however,  Duyckinck  was  persuaded  by  some 
means  to  appear,  and,  being  reprimanded  for  his  con- 
tempt, expressed  some  regret  for  his  defiance  of  Congress ; 
but  when  civilly  requested  by  President  WoodhuU  to  return 
the  watch  to  its  owner,  Christopher  was  more  reticent;  he 
replied  that  he  would  take  the  matter  into  consideration, 
and  retired,  taking  with  him  a  copy  of  a  resolution  which 
had  been  passed,  expressive  of  the  opinion  that  he  had 
acted  very  improperly  in  stealing  Mr.  Sands'  watch. 

Christopher  Duyckinck  paid  no  further  attention  to  Con- 
gress, entertaining,  as  he  had  the  undoubted  right  to  do,  a 
sovereign  contempt  for  its  authority.  The  Jacobin  leader 
was  not,  however,  averse  to  using  the  power  of  the  Con- 
gress whose  authority  he  derided,  to  crush  a  tory  enemy ; 
for  the  journals  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  record,  that  on 
the  17th  of  January  he  brought  before  it  an  unhappy  loyal- 
ist, charged  with  the  heinous  crime  of  cursing  the  Con- 
gress with  a  heartiness  which,  in  one  of  his  proclivities, 
indicated  a  dangerous  enmity.  This  was  a  liberty  which 
Duyckinck  reserved  to  himself ;  and  the  pestilent  tory  was 
laid  by  the  heels  for  assuming  the  royal  prerogative.^ 

^ "  Azor  Betts  was  next  brought  before  the  comroittee,  and  charged  by 
Christopher  Duyckinck  with  having  damned  the  Congress  and  committees, 


56 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


The  half  crazed  torj  shopkeeper,  who  had  been  ruined  by 
one  of  the  military  measures  of  Congress,  admitted  his 
disrespectful  objurgations,  and  it  was  therefore 

^'Resolved,  That  the  said  Azor  Betts  be  sent  to  Ulster 
county  jail,  to  be  there  confined  in  close  jail  until  the 
further  orders  of  the  continental  or  provincial  Congress, 
or  of  this  committee." 

Kingston  jail  was  at  this  time  crowded  with  fever- 
stricken  and  famishing  prisoners,  and  it  is  probable  that 
the  profane  Azor  Betts  took  his  portion  there  as  a  just 
punishment  for  a  contempt  of  Congress,  which  Christo- 
pher Duyckinck  had  proclaimed  with  impunity.  The 
sagacity  of  the  truculent  chairman  of  the  Mechanics'  club 
did  not  deceive  him.  He  prognosticated  that  Congress 
would  overlook  his  peccadilloes,  in  consideration  of  his 
influence  with  a  powerful  mob,  whose  ferocity  the  deputies 
had  reason  to  dread.  All  the  ire  which  this  had  exhibited 
toward  Gov.  Cadwallader  Colden  and  other  loyalists, 
whose  houses  had  been  sacked,  and  whose  persons  had 
been  outraged,  in  one  of  its  paroxysms  of  frenzy,  might  at 
any  moment  be  aroused  against  its  own  representatives. 
^ot  a  month  elapsed  before  Duyckinck  was  again  on  the 
floor  of  Congress,  confident  and  bold  as  ever,  having  this 
time  been  respectfully  requested  instead  of  summoned  to 
appear,  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  him  to  make  a  report 
of  his  attempt  to  capture  some  spies  and  tory  pilots  on 
Long  Island.    Duyckinck  was  now  apparently  in  high 

botli  continental  and  provincial,  and  said  that  they  were  a  lot  of  damned 
rascals,  and  acted  only  to  feather  their  own  nests,  and  not  to  serve  their 
country ;  that  they  had  shut  up  his  shop,  but  that  he  hoped  to  see  the  day 
when  he  could  shut  them  up,  or  overturn  them." —  Jour.  N.  T.  Com.  of 
Safety. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


57 


favor  with  Congress,  without  having  been  compelled  to 
feel  the  humiliation  of  acknowledging  its  authority  when 
it  took  the  liberty  of  differing  from  him  in  opinion.  But 
it  was  impossible  that  two  heads  of  the  same  government, 
both  of  which  claimed  original  and  supreme  power,  should 
exist  without  conflict ;  and  accordingly,  a  month  later,  a 
charge  of  high  misdemeanor  was  again  preferred  against 
him,  before  the  representative  body.  Samuel  Loudon,  a 
printer,  caused  a  memorial  to  be  presented,  relating  a 
gross  outrage  which  had  been  perpetrated  upon  him  by 
this  leader  of  the  populace  and  his  myrmidons. 

A  manuscript,  written  by  a  gentleman,  not  a  resident 
of  the  city,  which  purported  to  be  a  review  of  Paine's 
pamphlet.  Common  Sense,  had  been  sent  to  Loudon  to  be 
printed.  As  it  appeared  to  be  a  proper  subject  for  publi- 
cation, it  was  in  process  of  composition,  when  an  advertise- 
ment descriptive  of  its  argument  was  inserted  in  Gaines' 
Mercury.  Mr.  Loudon  had  calculated  too  largely  upon 
the  common  sense  of  the  public,  which  had  no  indulgence 
for  the  printer  who  should  set  in  type  anything  derogatory 
to  its  claim  to  that  eminent  quality ;  and  he  was  therefore 
greatly  surprised  to  receive  a  summons  requiring  his  ap- 
pearance before  the  Mechanics'  committee.  The  peremp- 
tory warrant  of  this  popular  tribunal  was  not  a  document 
to  be  trifled  with,  like  that  of  the  provincial  Congress. 
"Whatever  doubt  the  representative  body  might  entertain 
regarding  the  limit  of  its  powers,  the  other  Congress,  pre- 
sided over  by  Christopher  Duyckinck,  had  not  a  particle 
of  uncertainty  regarding  the  extent  of  its  own.  The  syllo- 
gism by  which  it  demonstrated  its  irresponsibility  to  a 

higher  authority,  was  short,  comprehensive,  and  exhaust- 
8 


58 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


ive.  The  people  were  the  source  of  all  power.  Congress, 
as  the  mere  agent  of  the  people,  possessed  only  such  as  was 
delegated  to  it.  The  Mechanics'  committee  were  them- 
selves the  people,  and  therefore  unlimited  in  their  autho- 
rity ;  and  Christopher  Duyckinck  was  their  chairman. 

Loudon  was  now  subjected  to  an  inquisitorial  examina- 
tion by  the  president  of  the  revolutionary  tribunal,  the 
result  of  which  was  far  from  satisfactory  to  that  dignitary, 
who  launched  the  direst  threats  at  the  poor  printer.  To 
secure  his  property  from  destruction,  as  well  as  his  person 
from  violence,  Loudon  promised  to  suspend  all  work 
upon  the  pamphlet,  and  placed  the  keys  of  his  premises 
in  the  hands  of  Duyckinck.  His  concessions  were  as 
vain  as  were  the  solemn  assurances  of  the  committee  that 
he  should  be  protected ;  for,  two  hours  subsequently,  at 
midnight,  Duyckinck  marshalled  forty  of  his  Pretorian 
guard,  and  entered  Loudon's  house,  from  which  they 
carried  all  the  impressions  of  the  pamphlet,  and  burned 
them  upon  the  Common.  Congress,  in  one  respect, 
reciprocated  the  scorn  of  Duyckinck;  for,  as  he  repu- 
diated its  action,  and  defied  its  power,  the  deputies  con- 
cluded to  have  nothing  further  to  do  with  him.  They 
accordingly  postponed  the  consideration  of  Loudon's  me- 
morial for  a  week,  and  never  troubled  themselves  more 
upon  the  subject.^ 

ITot withstanding  the  iron  rule  of  Gen.  Lee  had  caused 
such  general  uneasiness,  and  had  incited  the  order  for  his 
removal  from  the  military  command  of  Long  Island,  the 
renewed  activity  of  the  loyalists  compelled  the  resort  to 


^Journal  of  Committee  of  Safety,  405. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


59 


still  sterner  measures,  almost  immediately  upon  Ms  retire- 
ment. Suspected  tories  were  constantly  found  patroling, 
with  better  arms  than  ever,  the  great  bush-plains,  or 
navigating  the  sinuous  salt-water  creeks,  ostensibly  in  pur- 
suit of  game.  That  they  still  continued  to  hold  their  secret 
conclaves,  were  organized  in  military  bands,  and  met  at 
some  secret  and  well  guarded  rendezvous,  in  the  wide 
tracts  of  scrub  oak,  and  pine  forests,  which  still  cover 
more  than  half  the  Island,  was  evident  from  many  circum- 
stances. Their  conj&dent  and  reserved  bearing,  and  their 
increasing  though  silent  aversion  to  republican  measures, 
greatly  alarmed  the  whigs.  Day  by  day  their  activity 
became  more  observable,  and  vastly  increased  the  labor  of 
the  friends  of  Congress  to  counteract  its  effects.  Lord  Stir- 
ling early  found  the  necessity  of  adopting  energetic  mea- 
sures to  prevent  intercourse  with  the  British  ships  in  the 
harbor,  to  which  the  loyalists  of  the  Island  supplied  pilots. 

Soon  after  assuming  command,  he  wrote  to  Col.  Ward, 
who  was  still  at  the  head  of  the  forces  in  Brooklyn,  with 
the  assurance  that  his  communication  was  made  in  the 
strictest  confidence  of  secrecy,  and  directing  him  to  per- 
mit no  person  to  read  its  contents.^  The  letter  contained 
the  most  explicit  orders  for  a  difficult  and  important  ser- 
vice. Col.  "Ward  was  directed  to  detach  two  of  his  most 
skilful  and  trusted  officers,  each  with  a  detachment  of 
twenty  picked  men,  who  were  to  proceed  to  the  vicinity  of 
the  i^arrows  upon  a  secret  enterprise.  The  expedition  re- 
quired great  adroitness,  and  every  step  was  to  be  guarded, 
so  as  to  preserve  profound  secrecy  regarding  its  purpose. 


'  Stirling's  letter  to  Col.  Ward,  March  8th,  1776. 


60  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

It  was  designed  to  capture  or  kill  a  certain  resident  of 
New  Utrecht,  named  Frank  James,  whose  adroitness  and 
activity,  while  serving  at  once  as  a  pilot  and  a  privateer, 
had  hitherto  enabled  him  to  evade  every  attempt  for  his 
seizure,  while  he  inflicted  great  losses  upon  the  whigs,  by 
the  destruction  of  their  vessels.  It  was  known  that  he 
often  landed  near  his  residence,  where  he  remained  during 
the  night ;  but  so  mysterious  were  his  movements,  that  he 
appeared  at  times  and  places  where  his  presence  was  least 
suspected,  and  vanished  as  mysteriously  as  he  had  come. 
He  possessed  great  art  in  contriving  and  carrying  into 
effect  the  devices  by  which  he  decoyed  vessels  loaded  with 
supplies  for  the  troops  of  Congress,  under  the  fatal  guns  of 
the  Phoenix  man  of  war,  commanded  by  Captain  Parker. 
Several  vessels,  of  great  importance  to  the  Americans, 
had,  by  various  crafty  plans,  been  drawn  into  the  trap, 
and  had  fallen  almost  without  resistance  into  his  hands. 

Perfectly  familiar  with  the  intricacies  of  the  harbor 
channels,  and  the  numerous  inlets  and  creeks  that  wind 
their  course  around  the  reedy  islands  of  Jamaica  bay,  he 
was  equally  at  home  on  the  land  or  at  sea,  by  day  or  night. 
Combining  thus  the  functions  of  pilot  and  of  spy,  he  had 
become  so  dangerous  an  enemy  that  every  effort  for  his 
capture  or  destruction  must  be  put  forth.  The  residents  of 
that  part  of  Kings  county  which  he  haunted,  known  by 
Lord  Stirling  to  be  wholly  in  sympathy  with  the  British, 
were  suspected  of  aiding  the  pilot  spy  by  enabling  him  to 
escape  the  toils  hitherto  prepared  for  him ;  and  no  effort 
was  therefore  to  be  spared,  in  concealing  the  presence  of  the 
scouting  parties.  Lord  Stirling  at  the  same  time  informed 
Col.  "Ward  that  other  residents  of  that  neighborhood 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


61 


were  believed  to  act  as  pilots  and  decoys,  but  their  names 
were  unknown  to  him.  Their  persons,  however,  he  was 
assured,  were  well  known  to  Mr.  Christopher  Duyckinck; 
and  Col.  Ward  was  directed  to  avail  himself  of  his  services, 
together  with  those  of  two  or  three  guides  familiar  with 
the  route  of  the  expedition. 

Since  his  reprimand  by  Gen.  Woodhull,  at  the  bar  of 
Congress,  Duyckinck's  restless  hatred  of  tories  had  found 
employment  requiring  all  his  audacity,  and  more  than  all 
his  skill  and  courage.     He  had  been  commissioned  to 
arrest  or  kill  the  daring  pilot,  whose  piratical  enterprises 
had  long  before  alarmed  Congress.    Duyckinck,  in  pursu- 
ance of  his  design,  had  several  nights  lain  in  wait  for  James, 
and,  on  each  occasion,  had  watched  him  as  he  came  on 
shore,  and  dogged  him  to  his  haunts.     The  pilot,  was, 
however,  always  accompanied  by  twenty  or  thirty  armed 
British  soldiers.    Christopher  Duyckinck  was  invincible  at 
the  head  of  a  mob,  when  nothing  more  formidable  than  a 
house  occupied  by  females  was  to  be  sacked,  or  a  Quaker 
committee  man  was  to  be  robbed ;  but  he  had  little  affec- 
tion for  loaded  muskets,  and  armed  soldiers  he  fervently 
abhorred.     In  his  report  to  Congress,  he  says,  that  with- 
out the  presence  of  twenty  or  thirty  men,  it  will  be 
impossible  to  apprehend  the  pilots  whose  persons  had 
become  familiar  to  him  in  his  various  reconnoissances. 
Duyckinck  declared  that  while  engaged  in  his  last  scout- 
ing enterprise,  he  had  witnessed,  from  his  hiding  place, 
the  capture  of  a  brigantine  loaded  with  salt,  rum,  and 
sugar,  by  a  small  craft  that  sailed  from  under  the  guns  of 
the  Phoenix,  and  that  the  redoubtable  Frank  James  had 
gone  out  in  the  vessel  which  effected  the  capture.    It  was 


62 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


in  consequence  of  this  information  that  the  enterprise  for 
the  capture  of  these  dangerous  men  was  set  on  foot. 

The  instructions  to  Col.  Ward  were  issued  on  the  eighth 
of  March,  and  upon  that  or  the  following  night  the  expedi- 
tion set  out  from  the  camp  in  Brooklyn.  Two  parties  of 
picked  men,  with  three  days'  supply  of  cooked  rations, 
and  twenty  rounds  of  ammunition,  having  waited  until 
near  the  hour  of  moon-rising,  marched  to  the  place  of 
rendezvous  in  profound  silence,  under  the  direction  of 
Duyckinck  and  his  comrades,  in  whom  they  were  directed 
to  place  the  most  implicit  confidence.  The  march  was 
pressed  with  the  greatest  rapidity  by  the  detachments,  in 
order  to  arrive  at  their  stations  before  daylight;  where  they 
immediately  separated,  and  scoured  the  shore  of  the  bay 
and  the  creeks,  to  secure  every  boat  that  could  be  used  to 
communicate  with  the  British  ships,  by  cutting  holes  in 
their  bottoms  with  hatchets  brought  for  the  purpose. 
The  sails  and  oars  were  then  secreted,  and  the  men  them- 
selves, before  the  day  had  dawned  sufficiently  for  their 
detection,  had  found  secure  hiding  places  among  the  reeds 
and  thickets.  In  these  they  remained  for  two  days,  sally- 
ing out  at  night,  to  scour  the  adjacent  country  and  watch 
the  suspected  houses ;  but,  notwithstanding  all  their  vigil- 
ance, the  expedition  was  unsuccessful.  "Warned  by  some 
secret  signal,  concerted  with  the  numerous  friends  of  the 
royal  cause  in  l!^'ew  Utrecht,  or  protected  by  their  good 
fortune,  neither  the  daring  pilot  nor  any  of  his  comrades 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  whigs. 

More  than  a  month  subsequently,  the  bold  marauder 
sailed  the  craft  which  was  known  by  his  own  name,  up 
the  E-ockaway  inlet  into  Jamaica  bay,  with  the  design  of 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  63 

plundering  the  country  market-boats,  and  levying  tribute 
upon  such  of  the  whig  inhabitants  as  he  could  capture. 
On  one  of  the  mud  shoals  of  that  wide  but  shallow  bay, 
his  vessel  ran  aground,  and  was  soon  left  immovably  fixed 
by  the  reeeding  tide.  A  party  of  the  American  troops, 
by  whom  the  shore  was  now  constantly  patroled,  discover- 
ing the  plight  of  the  detested  rover,  succeeded  by  some 
means  in  bringing  two  field-pieces  to  bear  upon  his  craft, 
which  would  in  a  short  time  have  been  battered  to  pieces. 
Their  hopes  of  securing  his  person  were,  however,  speedily 
put  to  rest;  for,  on  observing  the  near  approach  of  his 
enemies,  the  marauder  and  his  crew  took  to  their  long 
boat,  and  were  soon  beyond  the  reach  of  cannon  shot. 
The  abandoned  craft,  which  had  aided  him  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  so  much  mischief,  fell  into  the  hands  of  his 
whig  enemies.  An  examination  of  the  armament  of  the 
captured  privateer  did  not  contribute  much  to  the  reputa- 
tion for  bravery  of  the  crews  of  the  vessels  he  had  plun- 
dered, for  it  was  found  to  consist  of  four  painted  wooden 
guns.  A  swivel  gun,  which  formed  his  only  offensive 
armament,  was  doubtless  carried  away  by  the  crew  in 
their  flight.^ 

In  the  judgment  of  Washington  it  had  now  become  a 
matter  of  the  highest  consequence  to  the  success  of  the 
American  arms,  that  Long  Island  should  either  be  depopu- 
lated of  its  loyalist  inhabitants,  or  be  completely  isolated 


^  This  redoubtable  pilot  and  privateer,  Frank  James,  escaped  all  the  toils 
of  his  adversaries,  and  entered  New  York  with  the  victorious  British  army. 
On  its  surrender  to  Washington,  seven  years  after,  the  wily  and  active 
loyalist  concluded  that  he  could  not  safely  trust  his  person  within  reach  of 
his  old  neighbors,  with  whose  commodities  he  had  taken  such  liberties, 
and  he  accordingly  expatriated  himself  to  Nova  Scotia,  where  he  died. 


64  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

from  communication  with  the  ships  of  war.  Instead  of 
wholesale  deportations,  and  new  test  oaths  enforced  upon 
its  inhabitants,  Congress  adopted  the  plan  of  arming  and 
organizing  the  whigs,  and  of  keeping  the  disaffected  dis- 
tricts constantly  patroled  by  detachments,  under  prudent 
and  energetic  leaders.  A  squad  of  horsemen  was  directed 
by  the  Committee  of  Safety  for  Great  iTeck  and  Cow 
ISTeck,  to  patrol  the  beach  at  Eockaway;  and  Thomas 
Cornell's  house  was  designated  as  their  rendezvous.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  patrol  was  selected  from  a  dis- 
trict fifteen  miles  distant  from  its  field  of  operations, 
doubtless  in  consequence  of  the  fact  that  neither  Kings 
nor  Queens  counties  contained  any  other  organization 
which  could  be  relied  upon.  Detachments  of  troops  were 
also  sent  to  various  points  along  the  coast  and  beach, 
while  armed  boats  were  constantly  rowing  along  Jamaica 
bay  and  the  great  South  bay,  entering  their  numerous 
inlets  in  the  night,  and  lying  hidden  among  the  reeds 
which  bordered  them  during  the  day,  to  intercept  the 
craft,  the  crews  of  which  constantly  endeavored  to  hold 
communication  with  the  British  vessels  of  war  in  the 
harbor.  The  country  people  had  hitherto  kept  the  fleet 
well  supplied,  not  only  with  fresh  provisions,  but  with 
the  oysters  and  fish  which  the  neighboring  bays  afforded 
in  exhaustless  quantities.  It  was  under  color  of  fur- 
nishing these  products  of  the  waters,  that  they  had  been 
able  hitherto  to  board  the  enemy's  vessels  in  the  night 
without  detection.  In  these  visits  the  disaffected  were 
encouraged  to  preserve  their  loyalty,  untarnished  by 
association  with  the  Congressional  party;  were  assured 
of  support  from  his  Majesty's  army  and  navy,  and  were 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  65 

supplied  with  effective  weapons  and  ammunition,  in  place 
of  the  worthless  arms  surrendered  to  Col.  Heard. 

Between  these  parties  and  the  whig  boat-patrols,  ensued 
many  a  stirring  conflict  and  dangerous  adventure.  Capt. 
Benjamin  Birdsall,  the  commanding  officer  of  the  detach- 
ment which  guarded  the  coast  for  seven  miles  east  of 
Hempstead,  had  been  chosen  by  Lord  Stirling  because 
of  his  special  fitness  for  this  service.  It  was  in  vain  that 
the  skill  of  the  shrewd  bay-men  was  exerted  to  delude 
him,  for  there  was  not  a  device  of  the  sportsman,  or  an 
inlet,  creek,  or  channel,  with  which  he  was  not  familiar; 
and  his  energy  and  celerity  were  fully  equal  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  arduous  duty.  Captain  Birdsall,  up  to 
the  period  of  the  Revolution,  had  been  a  drover-farmer,  liv- 
ing at  Jerusalem.  His  occupation  had  doubtless  given  him 
a  taste  for  adventure,  and  had  so  toughened  his  frame  that 
he  had  but  a  short  apprenticeship  to  serve,  to  fit  him  for 
the  trade  of  soldier.  Besides  these  qualities,  his  constant 
intercourse  with  the  sharper  wits  of  the  city  traders  enabled 
him  to  penetrate  the  ever-changing  disguises  of  his  rural 
neighbors,  less  skilled  in  artful  devices  than  those  with 
whom  he  was  accustomed  to  deal.  A  reputation  for  that 
sharpness  in  trading  which  borders  upon  but  never  touches 
dishonesty,  had  left  him  in  that  anomalous  position  with 
regard  to  respectable  society  where  the  man  hangs  upon 
its  skirts,  scarcely  admitted  to  its  intercourse,  yet  without 
having  sufficiently  offended  to  authorize  his  rejection. 
The  half  respectable  jockey  and  trader  is  generally  tolerated 
in  society,  if  he  has  been  successful,  without  outraging  it 

by  scandalous  offenses.     BirdsalPs  association  with  the 
9 


QQ  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

stout  butchers  of  the  city,  where  revolutionary  doctrines 
pervaded  all  the  trading  classes,  had  doubtless  prepared 
him  for  their  ready  adoption;  and  when  the  time  came  for 
the  separation  of  the  town's  people  into  loyalists  and  Asso- 
ciators,  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  latter. 

The  Committee  of  Safety  of  Queens  county,  had  issued 
orders  for  Captains  Birdsall  and  Nostrand  to  secure  all  the 
boats  from  Huntington  to  Eockaway,  a  distance  of  eigh- 
teen miles.    From  the  seven  miles  of  coast,  which  were  in 
the  district  assigned  to  Birdsall,  his  activity  enabled  him  to 
collect  one  hundred  and  six  hay-boats,  which  he  secured 
by  towing  a  part  of  them  up  the  salt  creek  near  his  house, 
while  the  remainder  were  dragged  high  up  on  the  land, 
where  the  sun  and  wind  speedily  rendered  them  unservice- 
able.   This  severity  of  treatment,  of  a  population  which 
derived  the  largest  part  of  its  sustenance  from  the  waters, 
was  as  unsuccessful,  however,  as  it  was  impolitic  and  arbi- 
trary.   Unfortunately  for  its  object,  the  remaining  eleven 
miles  of  coast  were  guarded  by  a  patrol  possessed  of  less 
zeal,  or  more  scrupulousness,  than  Capt.  Birdsall.  Nearly 
as  many  boats  as  had  been  secured  by  this  active  partisan, 
were,  by  the  negligence  or  design  of  his  associate  officers, 
permitted  to  escape  to  the  British  fleet.    It  is  the  privilege 
of  the  conquered  malcontents,  in  every  land,  to  vent  their 
repressed  hatred  in  pasquinades  and  doggerel  rhymes. 
These  missiles  had  been  hurled  at  Col.  Heard  by  the  exas- 
perated but  overawed  loyalists ;  and,  as  every  military  ex- 
pedition against  the  disaffected  resulted  in  another  string 
of  couplets.  Captain  Birdsall  did  not  escape  their  satire. 
The  partisan  leader  repaid  it  a  few  weeks  later,  as  will 
be  seen  in  the  course  of  our  narrative,  with  sharper 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  67 

missiles,  when  he  hunted  them  as  fugitives  through  the 
swamps.^ 

The  severest  measures  of  the  provincial  Congress  did 
not,  however,  satisfy  the  fierce  ardor  of  the  whigs  of  the 
seceded  district  of  Great  Il^eck.    These  restless  descend- 
ants of  the  Puritans,  the  first  practical  revolutionists  in 
the  northern  states,  were  fired  with  a  zeal  which  did  not 
permit  them  to  slumber  over  the  mine  they  had  them- 
selves charged.    Their  champion  and  leader,  Benjamin 
Sands,  was  an  energetic  and  sleepless  foe  of  the  loyalists^ 
and  the  quiet  neutrality  which  the  latter  assumed  did  not 
impose  upon  his  credulity,  or  satisfy  his  nervous  patri- 
otism.   The  IsTew  York  Congress  had  issued  a  circular 
letter  to  the  whigs  of  Long  Island,  requesting  all  persons, 
who  could  furnish  any  evidence  against  the  nineteen 
loyalists  who  had  been  returned  upon  their  hands  from 
Philadelphia,  to  communicate  it  to  President  WoodhuU. 
This  was  a  business  which  Colonel  Benjamin  Sands  set 
about  with  the  keenest  appetite  for  the  employment,  as  it 
afforded  him  an  opportunity  to  lay  his  old  loyalist  adver- 
saries by  the  heels.    His  reply  to  the  circular  is  exquisitely 
characteristic  of  a  busy,  earnest,  sharp-dealing  revolution- 
ist, who  is  sadly  annoyed  that  he  cannot  conscientiously 
criminate  the  whole  batch  of  tories  then  in  durance. 
He  apologizes  ingenuously  for  his  inability  to  testify  to  the 
criminal  loyalty  of  more  than  one  of  the  prisoners,  who 
happened  to  reside  in  his  district.    This  unhappy  tory 

^  Mr.  Onderdonk  has  preserved  two  of  these  verses  in  his  Bewlutionary 
Incidents  : 

Ben  Bircham  is  a  committee  man  Ben  Bircham  is  a  committee  man 

The  tories  don't  regard  him ;  Do  yon  want  to  know  the  reason  ? 

And  when  he's  run  his  sinful  race  A  bigger  rogue  cannot  be  found 

The  d— 1  will  reward  him.  To  cheat  when  there's  occasion. 


e8  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

gentleman,  Daniel  Kissam,  received  the  full  benefit  of 
the  patriotic  zeal  of  his  old  neighbor,  who  remembered 
every  idle  expression  or  hasty  word  of  resentment,  wrung 
from  a  hot  temper  by  the  daily  exasperations  he  had  suf- 
fered, and  who  now  reported  all  this  imprudent  language 
with  the  fidelity  of  a  stenographic  reporter.  Each  asseve- 
ration which  he  charges  upon  the  unlucky  tory,  is  forti- 
fied by  the  name  of  a  witness ;  and  if,  in  consequence,  his 
Majesty's  justice,  Daniel  Kissam,  is  not  hanged,  then  cir- 
cumstantiality and  minuteness  of  eaves-dropping  evidence 
are  utterly  thrown  away.^ 

A  few  days  after  making  his  report,  Sands  found  occa- 
sion for  the  exercise  of  his  zeal  in  resisting  the  immigration 
of  the  loyalists  of  Kew  England,  who,  routed  from  their 
homes  by  the  potent  influence  of  tar  and  feathers,  and 
other  revolutionary  arguments,  were  seeking  refuge  on 
Long  Island.  The  district  Committee  was  summoned  to 
take  the  matter  into  consideration  ;  and  a  series  of  resolu- 
tions was  accordingly  adopted,  which  declared  "  that  the 
favored  section  of  America  they  inhabited,  instead  of  being 
an  asylum  for  the  good  and  virtuous,  was  about  to  become 
a  nest  for  thosS  noxious  vermin,  the  disafi*ected  of  other 
districts."  It  was  therefore  determined  ^'  that  no  manner 
of  person  must  hereafter  presume  to  move  into  the  district, 
without  a  certificate  signed  by  the  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  that  district  whence  he  removed,  that  he  is 
friendly  to  the  cause  of  his  bleeding  country."  ^ 

^  See  tliis  curious  letter,  Document  III. 

^  It  was  tlie  zealous  Col.  Sands,  who  naively  wrote  to  Congress  that  he 
"  had  cited  Timothy  Smith,  Esq.,  an  inactive  whig,  before  him  for  interroga- 
tion, but  that  the  said  Smith  had  evaded  attendance,  and  was  in  consequence 
suspected  of  being"  too  good  evidence  to  be  permitted  to  escape,  and  should 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


69 


It  was  becoming  more  and  more  difficult  for  either  the 
malignant  tory  or  the  conscientious  loyalist  to  find  a  spot 
upon  which  to  set  his  foot  in  peace.  At  the  next  meet- 
ing of  his  Committee,  Benjamin  Sands  submitted  a  form 
of  denunciation  which  was  thenceforward  to  be  launched 
at  the  heads  of  the  disaflected  who  had  the  temerity  to 
reside  in  his  district.  Its  rigorous  penalties  were  appa- 
rently borrowed  from  some  ancient  form  of  excommunica- 
tion, and  "  enjoined  all  persons  to  break  off  every  kind 
of  civil,  mechanical,  and  commercial  intercourse  with  the 
deluded  and  obstinate  person,  or  answer  for  their  disobe- 
dience of  this  interdict  at  their  peril."  ^ 

A  resolution  of  the  continental  Congress,  passed  in 
March  of  this  year,  enabled  the  whigs  of  Long  Island  to 
exercise  a  still  more  rigorous  severity  toward  the  obsti- 
nate, but  still  non-resistant  tories.  The  armed  troops  of 
the  provincial  Congress  having  signally  failed  to  secure  all 
the  arms  of  the  disaffected,  the  Committees  of  Safety  were 
recommended  to  take  upon  themselves  the  task  of  disarm- 
ing all  those  who  would  not  sign  the  articles  of  Association, 
but  they  were  enjoined  to  proceed  with  all  prudence  and 
moderation.  The  Committees  of  Safety  on  Long  Island, 
with  the  fervor  of  zealots,  eagerly  accepted  the  powers 
conferred  by  the  Congressional  resolution,  with  but  slight 
regard  for  the  conditions  attached.  They  now  ordered  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  three  counties  to  be  enrolled  in 
military  organizations,  and  proceeded  shortly  to  the  ex- 
tremity of  compelling  whig  and  tory  alike  into  the  ranks 

be  taught  that  he  was  guilty  of  an  impertinence  in  allowing  his  own  affairs 
to  take  precedence  of  the  Committee's  summons. 

^  The  exact  language  of  the  form  of  denunciation  adopted.  See  Onder- 
donk's  Revolutionary  Incidents  of  Queens  County,  54. 


70  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

of  the  militia.  The  punishment  for  violation  or  neglect  of 
this  edict  was  often  executed  with  great  severity.  The 
goods  and  chattels  of  the  delinquents  were  seized,  and 
sold  at  public  auction,  or  sequestrated  for  public  use. 
Fines  for  non-attendance  upon  the  days  of  militia  parade 
were  levied,  and  the  names  of  the  absentees  published,  as 
enemies  of  their  country.  Twelve  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Jamaica,  in  a  petition  to  the  provincial  Congress,  gave 
such  reasons  for  their  non-compliance  with  these  ordi- 
nances, as  it  must  have  sorely  puzzled  both  that  body  and 
Benjamin  Sands  to  refute.  Their  plea  stated  that  Colonel 
Heard,  in  disarming  the  loyalists  of  Queens  county,  had 
required  them  to  swear  to  live  peaceably,  and  in  no  man- 
ner to  engage  in  opposition  to  Congress ;  and  in  return 
had  promised  them,  in  its  name,  security  from  further 
molestation.  Thus  deprived  of  arms  by  one  edict,  they 
were  now  required  by  another  to  appear  armed  on  parade ; 
and  although  they  had  been  assured  of  peaceable  posses- 
sion of  their  goods  and  estates,  their  cattle  and  agricultural 
implements  had  been  seized  by  Captain  Ephriam  Bailey, 
and  sold  for  half  their  value,  to  pay  the  fines  levied  for  not 
engaging  in  a  cause  which  they  conscientiously  believed 
to  be  unlawful.  These  vexatious  fines,  and  humiliating 
denunciations,  it  must  be  recollected,  were  the  provisional 
regulations  of  an  authority  no  higher  than  that  of  a  militia 
captain,  who  was  at  once  legislator,  judge,  prosecuting 
attorney,  and  sheriff. 

An  instance  of  the  exercise  of  these  somewhat  incongru- 
ous functions,  so  characteristically  portrays  the  state  of  so- 
ciety that  it  will  repay  perusal.  An  obstinate  felt  maker 
of  Cow  I^eck,  named  Wooley,  had  been  enrolled  in  Capt. 
John  Sands'  company,  which  was  mustered  once  a  month 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  71 

for  military  exercise,  but  had  failed  to  appear  in  the  ranks, 
or  to  give  an  acceptable  excuse  for  his  delinquency.  Capt. 
Sands,  having  in  his  capacity  of  law-maker  enacted  a  pen- 
alty for  a  misdemeanor  which  offended  him  as  a  military 
commander,  and  having  in  his  high  function  of  judge 
pronounced  the  offender  guilty  and  sentenced  him  to  pay 
such  fines  as  seemed  proper,  now  assumed  the  character  of 
sheriff,  and  seized  a  hat  alleged  to  be  worth  fifty  shillings, 
which  he  sold  for  thirty  to  pay  the  fines.  Wooley  sought 
redress  by  making  his  complaint  to  a  magistrate  of  Hemp- 
stead, but  the  power  of  that  functionary  of  royalty  had 
passed  away.  The  exasperated  loyalist,  now  half  crazed 
by  the  vigorous  measures  of  the  whig  captain,  appeared  at 
the  next  parade,  and  challenged  him  to  fight  with  sword 
and  pistol.  His  behavior  was  so  outrageous,  that  it  would 
naturally  be  expected  that  a  militia  captain  wha  had  re- 
cently performed  such  high  functions,  would,  under  such 
provocation,  have  exerted  a  moderate  degree  of  power,  in 
immediately  putting  the  frantic  tory  under  arrest.  But 
Captain  Sands  endured  his  violence  with  the  most  exem- 
plary meekness  for  half  an  hour ;  when,  the  passion  of  the 
offender  having  exhausted  itself,  and  his  temper  having 
become  so  pacific  as  to  strip  the  task  of  personal  risk,  he 
was  arrested,  and  sent  under  guard  to  the  Queens  county 
jail.  That  institution,  however,  was  presided  over  by 
Hope  Mills,  a  keeper  appointed  by  the  royal  authority; 
who  declared  that  he  was  not  the  jailer  of  Congress,  and 
had  no  authority  to  incarcerate  a  person  sentenced  by  it. 
Capt.  Sands,  surprised  that  any  person  should  be  so  ab- 
surdly regardful  of  the  forms  of  law,  carried  his  prisoner 
before  the  sheriff,  Thomas  Willetts,  whom  he  urged  to  take 


72  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  culprit  into  custody.  The  sheriff,  also,  was  a  stickler 
for  legal  technicalities,  and  somewhat  authoritatively  di- 
rected Capt.  Sands  not  to  detain  his  prisoner  without  a  war- 
rant from  a  magistrate.  Released  from  custody,  Wooley  at 
once  made  known  his  purpose  to  prosecute  the  guard  which 
had  been  perambulating  the  county  with  him  as  a  prisoner. 

Representations  of  the  affair  were  made  to  the  provincial 
Congress,  and  that  body  ordered  the  recusant  to  be  appre- 
hended and  sent  to  iSTew  York,  with  all  convenient  speed. 
Presided  over  by  the  humane  and  intelligent  Woodhull, 
the  New  York  Congress  was  not  less  remarkable  for  its 
patriotism  than  for  its  lenity  and  forbearance ;  and  on  this 
occasion  we  should  expect  that  the  culprit  would  receive 
the  benefit  of  its  mild  authority.  Brought  before  that  body, 
his  addled  wits  barely  enabled  him  to  make  a  statement  as 
striking  for  its  humility,  as  it  was  for  the  clearness  with 
which  his  story  established  the  hardship  of  his  treatment. 
He  said  that  he  had  not  believed  that  Captain  Sands  pos- 
sessed the  authority  to  call  him  under  arms ;  but,  after  he 
had  been  fined,  he  had  attended  the  parade  with  the  deter- 
mination not  to  insult  his  officer,  when  the  latter  insulted 
him  first,  by  calling  him  "a  fellow."  In  the  heat  of  his 
resentment  he  had  challenged  Sands  to  fight,  and  he  had 
understood  him  to  accede  to  the  proposal.  The  prisoner 
declared  that  he  had  no  arms,  but  was  willing  to  bear  them 
in  the  service  of  Congress,  if  it  was  the  opinion  of  that  body 
that  he  should.  ^Notwithstanding  his  submission,  and  the 
evident  hardship  of  his  case,  Congress,  by  a  bare  majority, 
remanded  him  to  the  custody  of  his  guard,  with  peremp- 
tory directions  to  the'Queens  county  jailer  to  keep  him 
securely,  at  his  own  expense,  until  further  directions.  The 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  73 

thrifty  Congress  thus  vindicated  its  dignity  without  expense 
to  the  new  commonwealth.  Immured  in  jail  for  a  month, 
the  prisoner  again  made  his  humble  petition,  and  was 
released. 

As  the  purposes  of  the  revolutionists  became  more 
settled,  and  their  new  moulded  expectations  hardened 
into  firm  resolves^  their  rule  grew  sterner  and  harsher 
towards  their  tory  neighbors.  The  whigs  had  now  gone 
too  far  to  hope  for  pardon,  andthe  tories  must  either  array 
themselves  on  the  side  of  the  revolution,  or  cease  to  exist. 
Even  submissive  neutrality  could  no  longer  be  permitted. 
On  the  first  of  May,  1776,  an  enrolment  of  all  residents 
of  Long  Island,  capable  of  bearing  arms,  was  made  by 
order  of  Congress.  The  number  of  able-bodied  men 
found  in  Queens  county  was  seventeen  hundred  and  seventy. 
The  militia  enrolled  in  Suffolk  county  numbered  a  few 
more  than  two  thousand;  while  that  of  Kings  was  only  five 
hundred  and  eighty.  The  quota  drawn  from  them  to 
reinforce  the  Continental  army  was  two  hundred  from  Suf- 
folk, one  hundred  and  seventy-five  from  Queens,  and 
fifty-eight  from  Kings  county.  It  was  arranged  that  the 
Queens  county  militia  should  be  mustered  in  fourteen 
companies,  the  officers  of  which  were  appointed,  and 
received  their  commissions,  by  the  middle  of  June. 

The  most  stringent  efforts  were  now  put  forth  to  force 
every  man,  loyalist  and  whig  alike,  into  the  ranks  of  the 
militia.  The  iron  despotism  of  military  discipline,  it  was 
believed,  would  soon  surround  them  all  with  its  invisible  yet 
impassable  walls.  I^otwithstanding  the  sleepless  vigilance 
of  the  whig  committees,  and  of  the  partisan  bands  which 
patrolled  the  island,  by  far  the  largest  part  of  the  inha- 
10 


74  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

bitants  of  Kings  and  Queens  counties  sturdily  refused  to 
appear  in  arms  against  the  royal  cause.  Squads  of  armed 
whigs,  constantly  in  active  pursuit,  arrested  the  disaffected, 
and  thrust  them  with  entire  indifference  into  the  ranks,  or 
the  common  jail.  The  severities  with  which  the  loyalists 
were  now  pursued  afforded  a  fatal  precedent  for  the 
British;  and  the  subsequent  sufferings  of  whig  prisoners 
in  the  provost,  the  sugar  houses,  and  the  prison  ships,  are 
attributable,  in  some  degree,  to  the  rigors  inflicted  by  their 
own  partisans  at  this  time.^  The  jails  throughout  the 
northern  colonies  were  soon  crowded  with  the  New  York 
loyalists,  a  large  proportion  of  whom  were  sent  from  Long 
Island.  The  swamps  and  brush  plains  swarmed  with  them, 
in  outlying,  to  escape  the  severities  practiced  upon  them 
by  the  patrolling  bands  of  the  whig  committees.  The 
housebreaker  and  the  philanthropist,  the  ruffian  and  the 
gentleman,  he  who  plundered  the  whig  under  the  guise 

^The  passive  noncompliance  of  the  established  church  gave  almost  as 
great  offense  to  the  whigs  as  the  active  resistance  of  the  most  embittered 
tories.  "  The  clergy  are  everywhere  threatened,  often  reviled  with  the  most 
opprobrious  language,  sometimes  treated  with  brutal  violence.  Some  have 
been  carried  prisoners  by  armed  mobs  into  distant  provinces,  where  they 
were  detained  in  close  confinement  for  several  weeks,  and  much  insulted, 
without  any  crime  being  even  alleged  against  them.  Some  have  been 
flung  into  jails  by  committees  for  frivolous  suspicions  of  plots,  of  which 
even  their  i^ersecutors  afterwards  acquitted  them.  Some  who  were  obliged 
to  fly  their  own  province  to  save  their  lives,  have  been  taken  prisoners, 
sent  back,  and  are  threatened  to  be  tried  for  their  lives  because  they  fled 
from  danger.  Some  have  been  pulled  out  of  the  reading  desk  because  they 
prayed  for  the  king,  and  that  before  independency  was  declared.  Others 
have  been  warned  to  appear  at  militia  musters  with  their  arms,  have  been 
fined  for  not  appearing,  and  threatened  with  imprisonment  for  not  paying 
those  fines.  Others  have  had  their  houses  plundered,  etc.,  etc.  Were  every 
instance  of  this  kind  faithfully  collected,  it  is  probable  that  the  sufferings  of 
the  American  clergy  would  appear  not  inferior  in  many  respects  to  those  of 
the  English  clergy  in  the  great  rebellion  of  the  last  century."  —  State  of 
the  American  Church,  hy  Rev.  Charles  Inglis ;  published  in  Hawkins'  Mis- 
sions, and  Documentary  History  of  New  York. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  75 

of  a  loyalist,  and  he  whose  high  convictions  of  duty  com- 
pelled his  allegiance  to  the  crown,  were  alike  immured 
in  the  common  jails.  From  their  pestiferous  cells  the 
pleadings  of  many  a  manly  voice  could  be  heard,  and 
the  ears  of  the  provincial  Congress  were  filled  with  peti- 
tions for  relief  from  incarceration.  There  were  noble 
names  attached  to  some  of  these  documents ;  descendants, 
at  least,  of  some  of  the  best  citizens  of  the  colonies.  On 
Long  Island,  the  growing  rigor  of  republican  rule  was 
felt,  with  bitter  chagrin,  by  some  whose  names  are  emi- 
nent for  qualities  that  are  held  illustrious  in  all  ages,  and 
whose  virtues  and  talents  have  preserved  their  memory 
in  high  esteem  in  spite  of  the  rancor  of  partisan  hatred. 

There  was  at  this  time  residing  at  Islip  a  quaker  gentle- 
man of  some  estate,  in  whom  the  troubles  of  the  times 
developed  a  perspicuity  of  reason,  and  an  acuteness  of 
analysis,  that  have  left  their  inefiaceable  mark  upon  our 
language.  Lindley  Murray,  whose  name  is  almost  as  de- 
voutly hallowed  for  his  virtues  as  it  is  famous  for  his  emi- 
nence in  learning,  had  retired  to  this  remote  and  quiet  spot 
to  escape  the  angry  turbulence  of  the  city ;  but  his  benevo- 
lence would  not  permit  him  to  remain  in  idleness  while 
so  many  of  his  countrymen  were  suffering  for  want  of  one 
of  the  common  necessaries  of  life,  for  which  he  saw  a 
remedy  in  his  own  power  to  bestow.  The  strict  blockade 
of  the  port,  preserved  by  the  British  cruisers,  had  so 
obstructed  the  transactions  of  commerce  that  salt  was 
sold  at  a  price  which  made  it  almost  unattainable  by  the 
poor.  To  supply  this  want,  Mr.  Murray  established  salt 
works  at  Islip,  and  devoted  himself  to  the  manufacture. 
The  kindly  quaker  was  but  little  molested  in  person  by 


76 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


his  whig  neighbors,  but  he  retired  from  the  country  to  the 
city  when  he  saw  the  rancor  which  was  kindling  between 
the  factions,  and  the  severity  with  which  some  of  his  loy- 
alist friends  were  treated.  The  aged  Cadwallader  Golden, 
now  only  titular  Lieutenant  Governor  of  New  York,  was 
residing  at  Jamaica,  but  his  age  and  dignity  did  not  relieve 
him  from  the  attentions  of  his  whig  neighbors.  His  repu- 
tation for  learning,  and  his  literary  eminence,  have  caused 
his  loyalist  devotion  to  be  forgotten.  America  has  for- 
given his  letters  to  the  royal  Ministers,  who  were  roused 
to  wrath  against  her  by  their  contents,  in  consideration  of 
his  nobler  works,  the  History  of  the  Five  Nations,  and 
Some  Considerations  on  the  Origin  of  Matter.  This  learned 
and  amiable  man,  who  had  been  the  friend  and  corre- 
spondent of  ITewton,  Linnaeus,  and  Franklin,  had  been 
driven  from  ]!^"ew  York  by  the  most  humiliating  outrages 
only  a  year  previously.  His  mind,  even  at  his  great  age, 
was  keenly  alive  to  the  miseries  he  foresaw  would  ensue ; 
and  on  one  occasion,  when  he  addressed  a  few  of  his  plain 
country  neighbors,  who  waited  upon  him  at  Jamaica  for 
his  advice  in  the  ominous  juncture  of  colonial  affairs,  Gov. 
Golden  was  affected  to  tears.  He  was  greatly  annoyed  by 
the  espionage,  which  constantly  attended  his  movements, 
and  by  the  evil  reports  which  were  spread  by  revolutionary 
zealots,  who  could  not  conceive  that  an  old  man  of  eighty- 
seven  years,  who  had  been  Lieutenant  Governor,  was  not 
still  a  formidable  adversary.  Letters  were  frequently  re- 
ceived by  Gongress,  and  by  the  committees  of  safety,  which 
denounced  him  for  complicity  with  the  counter  revolu- 
tionary measures  of  Governor  Tryon  and  the  British  gene- 
rals ;  and  he  was  made  to  feel,  in  various  ways,  the  restraint 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  77 

and  durance  imposed  upon  all  who  were  not  active  revo- 
lutionists. His  family  were  now  sufiering  the  more 
stringent  penalties  inflicted  on  the  adherents  to  the  crown. 

Cadwallader  Golden,  his  son,  who  resided  at  Spring  hill, 
near  Flushing,  had  been  seized  early  in  the  year  1776,  by 
the  whigs,  and  placed  in  custody.  He  was  transferred 
soon  after  to  Kingston  prison,  in  the  cells  of  which  he  was 
now  kept  in-  close  confinement.  Letters  exist,  written  by 
him  to  Congress  at  this  time,  regarding  the  sufferings  of 
himself,  and  other  gentlemen,  which,  were  it  not  for  the 
overshadowing  atrocities  subsequently  perpetrated  by  the 
British,  would  seem  monstrous  to  us.  At  the  same  time, 
there  was  residing  at  Flatbush  another  person,  not  only 
venerated  on  account  of  his  great  age  and  the  dignity  of  the 
oflBLce  of  Chief  Justice  of  the  colony,  which  he  had  held 
many  years,  but  honored  even  at  this  day  for  his  legal  and 
literary  abilities.  This  gentleman  was  Judge  Daniel 
Horsemanden,  at  this  time  eighty-three  years  of  age, 
fnore  than  thirty  of  which  had  been  spent  in  the  service 
of  the  king  and  the  colony.  He  had  been  appointed 
under  a  commission  of  the  great  seal  to  investigate  the 
affair  of  the  burning  of  the  Gaspee,  and  sat  on  the  bench  at 
the  trial  of  the  negroes  engaged  in  the  conspiracy  to  burn 
the  city.  He  is  remembered  chiefly  for  his  History  of  the 
Negro  Plot ;  but  he  possessed  eminent  qualities  of  mind 
which  entitle  his  name  to  lasting  regard  on  other  grounds 
than  mere  literary  ability,  ^^either  his  age,  services,  nor 
talents  could  exempt  him  from  sharing  in  some  measure 
the  unpleasant  consequences  of  thinking  differently  from  his 
neighbors ;  although  it  seems  to  us,  after  a  century  has 
cooled  the  revolutionary  fever  in  our  veins,  that  the  fidelity 


78  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

of  an  aged  servant  to  his  royal  master,  might  have  been 
forgiven  without  serious  damage  to  the  republic.  He  was 
seized,  by  order  probably  of  the  Kings  county  committee, 
and  sent  out  of  the  colony.  The  party  of  whigs  who 
guarded  him,  found  that  his  great  age  and  infirmities  re- 
quired so  much  care  and  labor  in  his  transportation,  that  they 
were  soon  glad  to  relieve  themselves  of  the  trouble  of  per- 
forming the  injunctions  of  the  committee,  by  leaving  him 
upon  the  road.  Judge  Horsemanden  died  two  years  subse- 
quently, at  Flatbush,  and  was  buried  in  Trinity  church 
yard. 

Cruelty  appears  so  irrational  that  the  historian  is  often 
puzzled  to  account  for  its  sudden  manifestation  without  a 
corresponding  provocation.  But  it  will  seldom  fail  to  be 
discovered,  on  closer  search,  that  there  is  a  link  in  the 
chain  of  events  wanting,  and  that  the  violence  and  inhu- 
manity at  which  we  shuddered  were  the  fruitful  harvest 
sown  by  former  partisan  rigor  and  persecution.  Of  all 
the  vile  seeds  which  lie  dormant  in  the  human  heart,  none 
is  so  rapid  in  its  germination,  and  so  prolific  in  its  fruit,  as 
revenge.  The  horrors  of  the  prison-ship,  the  provost  jail, 
and  the  sugar  house,  were  the  in  some  respects  monstrous 
retaliation  of  tories  who  had  sufiered  from  the  harrying 
and  imprisonment  inflicted  by  over  zealous  whigs. 

The  loyalists  of  Long  Island  were  too  numerous  for 
their  whig  neighbors  to  subject  them  to  the  severe  measures, 
which  converted  many  an  unhappy  tory  into  a  sullen  whig 
in  other  parts  of  the  colony  of  l^ew  York.  'Not  always, 
however,  even  into  grudging  friends ;  for  the  terrible  cas- 
tigations  which  some  of  the  more  obstinate  loyalists 
underwent,  turned  them  into  malignant  fiends.    The  hu- 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  79 

miliating  exposure  of  their  naked  persons  to  tlie  indigni- 
ties perpetrated  by  mobs,  while  receiving  the  various  forms 
of  republican  discipline,  exasperated  many  a  moderate 
tory  to  a  frenzy  of  revenge,  that  made  him  a  vindictive 
scourge.  IN'umbers  of  poor  wretches,  who  had  in  some 
unguarded  moment  expressed  a  preference  for  the  old 
government,  under  which  they  had  been  reared,  were 
clothed  in  the  republican  habit  of  penance  —  a  coat  of  tar 
and  feathers — which  possessed  some  infernal  quality  that 
changed  them  into  monsters,  as  pitiless  in  soul  as  this 
cruel  treatment  had  made  them  hideous  in  person.  It 
was  in  consequence  of  such  punishment  that  Simon  Girty 
fled  from  civilization,  and  sought  only  to  excel  his  savage 
associates  in  cruelty ;  and  Janae^  Moody,  of  'New  J ersey, 
revenged  his  torments  by  murdering  nearly  a  hundred 
whigs. 

We  cannot  learn  that  the  torture  of  the  hickory  rod, 
the  laceration  of  the  person  by  the  rough  fence  rails, 
sometimes  amounting  to  mutilation,  or  the  humiliation  of 
tar  and  feathers,  so  common  elsewhere,  were  ever  practiced 
on  Long  Island ;  but  there  were  other  heavy  penalties  in 
store  for  the  offenders  against  republican  sovereignty.  In 
all  the  counties  of  the  island,  occupied  as  they  were  by 
colonists  impelled  by  such  widely  varying  motives,  there 
was  felt  the  mild  influence  of  the  moderate  and  religious 
Hollander,  and  the  conscientious  humanity  of  the  Puritan, 
to  soften  the  rancor  of  partisan  hate. 

Meanwhile,  on  board  the  Asia  man-of-war,  off"  New 
Utrecht  shore,  crouched  that  grim  old  lion.  Governor 
Tryon,  watching  with  eyes  red  with  anger  the  island  he 
was  soon  to  ravage.    From  the  cabin  of  that  vessel  he 


80 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


issued  his  mandates  as  Governor,  and  dictated  his  dispatches 
to  Lord  Germaine.  He  assured  the  secretary  of  state  that 
the  warmest  representations  of  loyalty  had  been  made  to 
him  by  the  best  men  of  Long  Island,  which  enabled  him 
to  assure  his  lordship  that  only  a  small  portion  of  its 
inhabitants  were  unfaithful  to  the  crown.  Lord  Germaine 
replied  with  assurances  of  the  great  gratification  his  Majesty 
had  felt  on  receiving  the  favorable  relation  of  Governor 
Tryon ;  and  the  latter  strove  vigorously  to  make  good  his 
assurances.^ 

Attending  the  Governor  on  board  the  man-of-war,  was 
a  personage  of  Long  Island  birth,  who  had  acted  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  outrages  which  had  excited  the  people  of 
IsTorth  Carolina  to  revolution.  This  was  Edmund  Fanning, 
the  private  secretary  of  Gov.  Tryon,  and  the  executioner 
of  his  most  atrocious  acts  of  tyranny.  Eight  years- before, 
the  rapacity  of  Secretary  Fanning,  joined  to  the  arrogance 
and  oppression  of  Gov.  Tryon,  had  driven  the  ITorth  Caro- 
linians to  revolt.  By  the  exaction  of  enormous  fees  for 
marriage  licenses,  he  had  compelled  a  large  number  of 
families  to  associate  without  the  legal  forms  of  matrimony; 
and  by  the  extortion  of  ruinous  charges  for  the  reissue  of 
deeds  to  the  small  proprietors,  he  had  exasperated  many 
of  them  to  the  verge  of  desperation. 

When,  in  1768,  the  revolt  which  his  atrocities  had  excited 
was  subdued,  Fanning's  cruelty  found  ample  food  to 
satiate  his  revenge  in  the  execution  of  the  revolutionists. 
But  the  climax  of  his  villanies  was  only  reached  in  1771, 
when,  having  taken  James  Few  prisoner  in  a  skirmish. 


^  Gov.  Tryon' 8  letter  to  Lord  Germaine. —  Document  2  in  Appendix. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


81 


during  which  Fanning  with  characteristic  cowardice  had 
skulked  away  in  fright,  he  caused  the  unfortunate  insur- 
gent to  be  immediately  executed.  The  wretch  had  not 
long  before  seduced  the  affianced  sweetheart  of  poor 
Few;  and  having  by  the  ruin  of  his  mistress  driven 
the  lover  to  desperation,  the  Secretary  dreaded  his  ven- 
geance. The  wily  and  adroit,  villain  did  not  entirely 
escape  the  vengeance  of  the  people  he  had  outraged.  He 
had  been  twice  dragged  from  his  house  by  the  infuriated 
colonists,  and  severely  flogged,  while  his  dwelling  was 
sacked,  and  his  costly  furniture  completely  demolished. 
This  rapacious  man  had  now  returned  to  the  shores  of 
his  native  island,  and  his  brain,  fertile  in  schemes  of 
villany,  was  now  doubtless  contriving  some  potent  mischief 
for  the  place  of  his  birth.^ 

^  Edmund  Fanning  subsequently  received  a  commission  of  colonel  from 
Gov.  Fanning,  with  permission  to  raise  a  regiment  of  provincial  troops  on 
Long  Island.  He  succeeded  in  enlisting  four  liimdred  and  sixty  men, 
among  whom  were  some  of  the  most  desperate  wretches  of  an  army  that 
was  eminent  for  the  infamy  and  inhumanity  of  some  of  its  troops.  His 
regiment,  styled  the  Associated  Refugees,  was  for  a  long  time  stationed  at 
Huntingdon ;  but  wherever  it  went,  his  soldiers  made  their  name  a  synonym 
for  terror  and  atrocity.  Among  their  feats  of  inhumanity,  a  favorite  prac- 
tice was  to  obtain  entrance,  by  craft  or  violence,  to  the  house  of  some  of 
the  island  farmers,  whom  they  suspected  of  possessing  a  secret  hoard  of 
money  or  valuables.  The  proprietor  was  immediately  seized  and  bound  lo 
a  bed  post,  and  tortured  by  holding  a  lighted  candle  to  his  fingers  until  the 
pain  extracted  the  desired  information,  from  himself  or  his  family.  The 
exploits  of  Secretary  Fanning  are  narrated  at  length  in  Garuthers'  Life  of 
David  Caldwell,  and  Onderdonk's  Revolutionary  Incidents. 


11 


82 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER  m. 

Partisan  "Warfare  and  Loyalist  Leaders. 

Washington's  attention  had  been  often  anxiously  di- 
rected from  the  siege  of  Boston  to  the  unsatisfactory 
condition  of  affairs  on  Long  Island  ;  and,  although  averse 
to  inflicting  even  merited  suffering  upon  any,  he  had 
become  aware  that  it  was  now  unavoidable,  and  that  the 
stern  necessities  of  war  called  for  the  expatriation  or  entire 
subjugation  of  its  loyalist  inhabitants.  It  was  evident  that 
the  British  army,  so  closely  beleaguered  in  Boston,  were 
about  to  abandon  that  city ;  and  he  already  saw  that  "New 
York  would  be  their  next  point  of  attack.  Congress 
had  repeatedly  communicated  its  fears  to  Washington 
that  plots  were  hatching  on  Long  Island,  for  subverting 
the  new  government,  and  he  had  always  replied  by 
counselling  humane  and  cautious  treatment  of  its  misled 
people. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  a  report  was  read  to  the  provincial 
Congress,  by  Mr.  Morris,  which  indicated  that  Washington 
possessed  information  relating  to  afiairs  on  Long  Island, 
that  had  terminated  his  indecision.  So  alarming  was  the 
tenor  of  the  communication  which  he  desired  to  make  to 
Congress,  and  so  imperative  the  necessity  of  secrecy  in 
regard  to  it,  that  he  desired  Congress  to  pledge  each  of  its 
members  by  a  special  obligation  to  keep  it  private.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  same  day,  G-en.  Woodhull  the  president,  after 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  ^3 

himself  taking  a  solemn  oath  to  keep  secret  all  matters 
submitted  to  that  body  by  Gen.  Washington,  called  each 
member  from  his  seat  and  received  a  special  obligation 
from  him  of  the  same  purport.  The  General,  on  being 
informed  of  the  compliance  of  Congress,  at  once  communi- 
cated to  it,  by  Messrs.  Scott  and  Morris,  documents  which 
contained  the  details  of  a  scheme  for  an  insurrection  of 
the  loyalists  of  Kings  and  Queens  counties,  which  had  made 
alarming  progress,  and  which  threatened  the  most  danger- 
ous consequences.  A  letter  from  Jonathan  Sturges,  of 
Fairfield,  Conn.,  was  read,  which  stated  that  it  had  been 
noticed  for  some  time  past  that  the  tories  of  Connecticut 
had  in  considerable  numbers  left  the  state  for  Long  Island ; 
and  his  letter  enclosed  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  deserters, 
as  they  were  termed.^  It  was  evident,  that  a  junction  of 
the  loyalists  of  Connecticut  and  Long  Island  with  the 
Ministerial  forces,  was  contemplated,  for  the  purpose,  as 
the  committee  declared,  "of  oppressing  the  friends  of 
liberty  in  these  colonies." 

Mr.  Morris  further  informed  Congress  that  several  per- 
sons, believed  to  be  British  spies,  had  been  observed 
engaged  in  such  an  examination  of  various  points  on  the 
south  shore  of  Long  Island  as  rendered  them  objects  of 
suspicion.  These  persons,  who  were  strangers  to  the 
patriotic  inhabitants,  were  undoubtedly  engaged  in  fixing 
upon  proper  places  for  the  landing  of  British  troops.  It 
was  known,  also,  that  the  people  of  Hempstead  kept  up  a 
constant  communication  with  the  ships  of  war ;  and  from 
the  details  of  the  plot  already  discovered,  it  was  believed 


^Journal  of  Promncial  Congress,  ii,  114. 


84 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


that  a  concert  of  action  was  thus  maintained.  A  sloop- 
load  of  tories  had  been  captured  on  the  Sound,  who  had 
admitted  that  they  were  on  their  way  to  Long  Island ;  and 
J onathan  Sturges  said  that  information  enough  had  been 
obtained,  from  their  admissions,  to  make  it  evident  that 
"  a  horrid  plot  had  been  laid  to  destroy  the  people  of  this 
country,  and  that  Long  Island  was  appointed  for  the  head- 
quarters." Matthew  Adgate,  chairman  of  the  committee 
of  Kings  district,  sent  a  letter,  in  which  he  says  secret 
information  had  reached  him,  of  '*a  plot  as  deep  as  hell  to 
bring  the  country  to  ruin."^  The  bearer  of  the  letter 
was,  at  the  moment  of  its  reading,  awaiting  the  examina- 
tion of  Congress.  He  had  incurred  the  imminent  danger 
of  assassination,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  certain 
information  of  the  projects  of  the  disaffected,  by  procuring 
admission  to  their  councils  in  the  guise  of  a  friend. 

Mr.  Vanderbilt,  the  deputy  from  Kings  county,  informed 
the  house  that  a  resident  of  Queens  county,  named  John 
Hendrickson,  was  in  possession  of  information  that  would 
tend  to  unveil  the  mystery  of  the  plot,  and  he  was  accord- 
ingly summoned  before  it  on  the  next  day.  His  long, 
rambling  narrative  teemed  with  incidents  that  suggested 
rather  than  proved  the  existence  of  a  conspiracy.  It  is 
not  without  interest  to  us,  in  its  quaint  representation  of 
the  tone  of  thought,  and  peculiarity  of  manners,  prevail- 
ing at  the  time,  and  it  details  most  clearly  the  course  and 
spirit  of  the  sentiments  of  the  Island  inhabitants.^  It 

^Journal  of  Provincial  Congress,  ii,  116. 

'  "  Gen.  Greene  commnnicated  to  Congress  the  information  that  the  tories 
of  Long  Island  were  arming,  nearly  five  hundred  stands  of  arms  having 
passed  his  camp  within  a  few  days,  mostly  in  the  hands  of  people  who  were 
known  to  be  unfriendly." 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  85 

would  be  deemed  at  this  day,  however,  utterly  worthless 
as  evidence  of  treasonable  action.  Our  old  acquaintance, 
Richard  Hewlett,  of  course  figures  in  the  narrative  as  a 
principal  actor.^ 

At  the  close  of  his  long  examination,  after  being  sworn 
to  preserve  a  strict  secrecy  regarding  the  subject  of  his 
narrative,  Hendrickson  was  dismissed,  having  been  assured 
by  President  Gen.  Woodhull  that  his  name  would  be  con- 
cealed. The  deposition  of  another  person,  a  resident  of 
Albany  county,  was  read,  to  show  that  the  conspiracy  ex- 
tended throughout  the  colony.  The  provincial  Congress 
was  thoroughly  convinced  of  the  existence  of  a  formidable 
plot,  and  exhibited  their  alarm  by  the  lengthy  debates 
which  ensued  during  the  next  three  days.  Gen.  Wash- 
ington himself  fully  sympathized  with  the  anxiety  of  its 
members,  and  addressed  to  them,  on  the  third  day  suc- 
ceeding the  examination,  a  request  that  they  would  com- 
municate their  decision,  as  soon  as  it  was  formed,  to  Gen. 
Putnam,  who  was  to  act  as  commander-in-chief  during 
his  absence  in  Philadelphia.  Gen.  Putnam  was  also 
instructed  to  carry  out  their  measures  with  the  military 
force  under  his  command.  It  is  evident  that  Washington 
anticipated  developments,  that  would  require  a  large  de- 
tachment of  his  army  to  march  against  the  loyalists  of 
Long  Island.^  The  mystery  of  their  projects  was,  how- 
ever, so  well  preserved,  that  little  more  than  the  fact  of  the 
existence  of  a  plot  was  elicited,  and  nothing  that  would 
criminate  its  leaders. 


*  See  the  minutes  of  examination.  Document  7. 

'  See  Washington's  instructions  to  Gen.  Putnam  regarding  the  arrest  of 
tones  on  Long  Island,  in  Documents. 


86  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

JS'otwithstanding  the  failure  of  Congress  to  pierce  the 
veil  of  secrecy  which  covered  the  objects  and  persons  of 
these  conspirators,  they  had  actually  designed  a  plan  of  ope- 
rations, more  formidable  and  dangerous  than  even  the  fears 
of  Congress  pictured.  Men  of  the  most  reckless  daring 
and  desperate  fortunes,  had  combined  with  citizens  of  the 
greatest  wealth  and  most  reputable  character  in  the  colony, 
for  the  accomplishment  of  a  design  that  appalls  us,  con- 
templating at  this  day  the  possibility  of  its  success.  The 
plot  undoubtedly  originated  with  the  energetic  and  un- 
scrupulous Gov.  Tryon,  on  board  the  Asia,  and  was  to 
be  developed  and  executed  by  the  loyalists  of  Long  Island. 
So  adroit  and  secret  had  been  his  manoeuvres,  that  he  had 
surrounded  Washington  and  Congress  with  an  invisible 
line  of  pickets,  which  guarded  every  avenue  of  approach, 
and  watched  every  motion. 

From  the  middle  of  May  to  the  20th  of  June,  1776, 
vague  rumors  of  evil  that  was  brewing  had  agitated  Con- 
gress ;  and  Washington,  whose  fears  were  awakened  for  his 
country  rather  than  for  his  own  person,  watched  the  disaf- 
fected districts  of  Long  Island,  through  the  sleepless  eyes  of 
a  score  of  spies.  It  was  known  that  some  persons  of  royal- 
ist sentiments  had  left  Ulster  county  about  the  first  of  May, 
and  traveled  cautiously  through  Westchester  county  to 
Whitestone  ferry,  where  they  had  crossed  to  Long  Island, 
and  had  lodged  at  the  tavern  of  the  tory  Simonson,  at 
Hempstead.  These  were  some  of  the  strangers  whose 
appearance  had  excited  the  curiosity  of  John  Hendrickson. 
One  of  them,  named  Abraham  Bull,  had  been  declared  to 
be  a  dangerous  man ;  and  his  companions  were  supposed 
to  be  persons  whose  desperate  character  had  induced  their 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  87 

selection  as  accomplices.  From  Simonson's  they  proceeded 
to  the  house  of  the  arch-tory,  Capt.  Richard  Hewlett,  by 
whom  they  were  entertained,  and  the  next  morning  were 
carried  on  board  of  the  enemy's  ships  of  war.  I^'othing, 
however,  had  hitherto  transpired  regarding  their  mission, 
and  the  spies  had  failed  to  drag  from  its  concealment  the 
secret  which  was  so  rigidly  guarded.^  Meanwhile,  the  exi- 
gencies of  the  service  called  for  the  recrnitingof  the  thinned 
ranks  of  the  Continental  army,  and,  on  the  first  of  June,  a 
draft  of  three  thousand  men  was  ordered  from  the  colony 
of  ISTew  York.  Of  the  seventeen  hundred  and  seventy 
able-bodied  men  of  Queens  county  who  had  been  en- 
rolled, not  more  than  one-third  had  yet  appeared  in 
arms,  notwithstanding  the  vigilance  of  the  militia  officers. 
But  the  increasing  activities  of  the  commonwealth  made 
the  demands  for  reinforcements  more  and  more  inexor- 
able ;  and,  as  every  citizen  was  compelled  to  stand  his 
lot,  the  whigs  determined  that  their  tory  neighbors 
should  -  aid  them  in  the  dangerous  business  of  fight- 
ing. The  attempt  to  enforce  the  draft  upon  a  population 
so  averse  to  its  object,  spread  the  greatest  dismay  in  both 
Kings  and  Queens  counties.  So  many  of  the  loyalists 
fied  again  to  their  secret  holds,  that  the  whigs  were  alarmed 
in  their  turn,  lest  the  quota  drafted  should  be  made  up 
entirely  from  their  own  number.  The  most  stringent 
orders  were  issued  to  compel  the  delinquents  into  the 
ranks.  As  numbers  of  the  loyalists  were  flying  to  other 
colonies,  the  roads  of  the  island  were  everywhere  patrolled 
or  guarded,  and  all  stragglers  were  apprehended.  Every 


^  How  close  was  the  scrutiny  maintained  by  one  neighbor  upon  the  con- 
duct of  another,  is  illustrated  by  the  letter  of  denunciation  of  certain  citizens 
of  Jamaica,  sent  to  the  provincial  Congress.    See  Document  la. 


88 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


person  engaged  in  official  business  was  furnished  with 
a  pass,  endorsed  "  On  the  service  of  the  United  Colonies ;  " 
and  those  who  could  not  produce  this  were  immediately 
arrested.  The  day  fixed  for  the  arrival  of  the  Long  Island 
quota  was  at  hand,  and  scarcely  the  first  steps  towards 
preparation  had  been  taken.  A  stirring  and  earnest  appeal 
was  issued  by  Gen.  John  Morin  Scott,  the  officer  com- 
manding the  contingent  forces;  but  the  19th  of  June 
arrived,  and  the  Queens  county  levies  had  . not  been  raised. 
The  roll  of  Capt.  Peter  I^ostrand's  company  exhibited 
the  absence  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-three  members,  in 
Oyster  Bay ;  and  in  two  other  companies,  there  were  one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  deserters.^  To  drag  them  from 
their  hiding  places  in  the  swamps  and  thickets,  was  a  task 
fraught  with  no  small  danger;  for  these  hunted  and  despe- 
rate men  were  now  driven  almost  to  despair  by  their  per- 
secutions, as  they  deemed  the  vigorous  acts  of  the  whigs, 
and  could  not  be  expected  to  submit  patiently  to  consign- 
ment to  this  hated  service  while  they  had  arms  in  their 

^  The  minute  details  of  tlie  orders  for  arrests  indicated  how  thoroughly 
the  work  of  denunciation  had  been  performed  : 

Queens  Co.,  June  10th,  1776. 

To  Mr.  Thomas  Mitchell,  Lt. : 

You  are  hereby  required  to  march  your  company  into  Capt.  Peter  Nos- 
trand's  district,  and  di\'ide  them  into  as  many  parts  as  you  may  think  proper, 
for  the  purpose  of  aiding  and  assisting  him  to  bring  forthwith  (283)  default- 
ing persons  belonging  to  that  company,  or  such  of  them  as  you  can  find,  and 
forthwith  send  or  bring  them  to  Samuel  Nicholls,  and  there  safely  secure 
them  imtil  further  orders. 

John  Sands,  Col. 

Capt.  Daniel  Nostrand  received  orders  at  the  same  time  to  march  into 
Lt.  Robt.  Coles's  district  and  apprehend  sixty-three  defaulters ;  and  Capt. 
Philip  Valentine  was  directed  to  proceed  with  his  company  into  Capt.  Sea- 
man's district,  and  secure  seventy  delinquent  militia-men,  and  simultane- 
ously, Lieut  Robert  Coles  marched  into  the  military  district  of  Capt.  D. 
Laton,  for  the  purpose  of  arresting  one  hundred  and  sixteen  others. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  89 

hands.  Rumors  were  current  of  several  bodies  of  armed 
loyalists,  who  had  determined  to  defend  themselves  from 
the  operations  of  the  levy,  and  had  posted  themselves  in 
strong  positions.  The  clemency  of  Washington  himself 
gave  way,  in  view  of  the  menacing  position  of  aftairs,  and 
he  now  ordered  a  detachment  to  proceed  against  the  dis- 
affected, who  he  says,  "  had  taken  up  arms  on  Long 
Island,  but  we  have  not  as  yet  been  able  to  apprehend 
them,  having  concealed  themselves  in  different  woods  and 
morasses." 

The  commanding  officer  of  the  district  was  that  Capt. 
John  Sands,  now  advanced  to  the  rank  of  Colonel,  whose 
zeal  for  convicting  his  tory  neighbors  we  have  already 
witnessed.  His  patriotic  energy,  still  unabated,  was  now 
quickened  by  the  excitement  of  hunting  out  of  their 
hiding  places  the  persons  who  had  set  at  naught  his 
authority ;  and  accordingly,  on  July  25th,  he  directed  Lieut. 
Mitchell  to  march  into  Capt.  Nostrand's  district,  and  aid 
him  in  arresting  deserters.^ 

Another  expedition  against  the  loyalists  was  organized 
at  Jamaica,  by  that  ardent  partisan  Captain  Benjamin 
Birdsall,  and  pushed  on  towards  Hempstead.  He  was 
eager  for  the  chase,  and  appeared  before  Congress  to  urge 
the  detachment  of  five  hundred  troops  to  aid  in  the  enter- 
prise, promising  with  this  force  to  arrest  all  the  recusants 
in  a  week.  Some  of  the  less  belligerent  of  the  whigs  of 
Queens  county  had  devised  a  scheme  in  which  their  patri- 
otism could  be  manifested  by  a  very  cheap  expenditure  of 
their  own  valor ;  and,  in  furtherance  of  it,  Captain  Birdsall 


^  June  5th,  the  provincial  Congress  ordered  the  arrest  or  summoning  of 
thirty-eight  persons,  etc. 

12 


90 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


was  commissioned  to  propose  that  Congress  should  author- 
ize the  quota  for  that  county  to  be  levied  entirely  upon  the 
loyalists  who  were  in  hiding,  and  should  send  a  regiment 
of  five  hundred  strong  to  catch  them.  They  generously 
devoted  their  tory  neighbors  to  the  service  of  fighting 
their  country's  battles,  and  requested  Congress  to  take 
the  trouble  of  hunting  down,  and  making  soldiers  of  them. 

Several  detachments  of  Continental  and  Militia  troops 
were  now  closing  in  upon  the  well-hunted  loyalists.  A 
mild  dragonnade  was  recommended,  and  in  some  places 
practiced  after  a  moderate  fashion ;  and  the  proposition  to 
arrest  leading  loyalists,  and  hold  them  as  hostages,  mak- 
ing their  safety  depend  upon  the  conduct  of  their  fellow 
citizens,  was  rejected  in  Congress  by  only  a  small  major- 
ity. One  of  the  detachments  which  marched  against  the 
defaulters  in  Hempstead  was  composed  of  the  minute 
men  of  Jamaica,  and  accompanied  by  the  narrator,  Ste- 
phen Rider.  It  was  known  that  a  party  of  the  tories  was 
concealed  in  the  swamps  near  the  head  of  Demott's  mill- 
pond.  The  miller  was  entirely  in  the  interest  of  the  loyal- 
ists, and  kept  a  sharp  look-out  for  the  patrolling  squads  of 
militia,  or  the  hunting  parties  of  whigs,  which  so  often 
beat  up  the  woods  and  swamps  in  his  neighborhood.  On 
their  approach,  the  tory  miller  hung  out  a  white  cloth  as 
a  signal  for  the  deserters  to  retire  to  the  huts  which  had 
been  built  on  the  little  island  in  the  swamp.  It  was  sel- 
dom that  their  pursuers  ventured  into  the  recesses  of 
these  intricate  and  dangerous  hiding  places;  contenting 
themselves  with  sending  a  volley  or  two  through  the 
bushes,  to  startle  the  enemy  they  could  not  fight.  On 
this  occasion,  a  party  of  nine  loyalists  were  lying  in  two 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


91 


sedge  boats,  entirely  hidden  by  the  dense  foliage  of  over- 
hanging flags.  They  had  determined  that  they  would  not 
be  taken  alive,  and  had  pledged  themselves  to  shoot  the 
first  man  daring  enough  to  undertake  it.  Some  of  the 
number  were  residents  of  the  neighborhood,  but  there 
were  strangers  in  the  company,  who  were  doubtless 
engaged  in  the  conspiracy  then  maturing.  They  had 
remained  near  the  head  of  the  pond  during  the  day,  but 
at  night  had  slept  in  an  adjacent  house,  and,  aware  of  the 
near  approach  of  the  whigs,  were  endeavoring  to  escape. 
The  pursuing  party  were  confident  of  the  proximity  of 
their  enemies,  and  for  the  purpose  of  discovering  their 
hiding  place,  Stephen  Rider  climbed  to  the  top  of  a  tall 
oak  overlooking  the  swamp.  While  reconnoitering  its 
recesses,  a  ball  whistled  close  to  his  ear,  and  at  the  same 
instant  he  saw  by  the  smoke  the  hiding  place  from  which 
it  came.  At  the  request  of  the  bold  whig,  a  loaded  musket 
was  handed  up  to  him,  and  aiming  for  the  spot  from 
whence  the  smoke  issued,  he  fired,  and  shot  one  of  the 
party  through  the  body,  upon  which  the  rest  surrendered. 
The  wounded  tory  was  a  young  man  scarcely  eighteen 
years  of  age,  named  George  Smith.  The  ball  had 
entered  just  below  his  shoulder  blade,  as  he  was  lean- 
ing over  the  side  of  the  boat  in  the  act  of  leaving  it.^ 
Stephen  Rider  paid  the  heavy  penalty  of  thirteen  months 
imprisonment  in  the  provost  jail  of  ^ew  York,  and  a  large 
fine  in  addition,  when  the  British  obtained  possession  of 
the  island. 


^  Notwithstanding  tlie  severity  of  liis  wound,  the  young  man  recovered, 
although  the  blood  issued  from  the  apertures  in  his  back  and  breast  at  every 
breath. —  0?iderdonk's  Bewlutionary  Incidents. 


92 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


Other  acts  of  resistance,  and  the  appearance  of  a 
determination  on  the  part  of  the  loyalists  to  defend 
themselves,  delayed  the  execution  of  the  order  for  their 
arrest,  whenever  they  assembled  in  considerable  num- 
bers. Capt.  Birdsall,  however,  continued  his  activity,  and 
pressed  his  old  neighbors  with  an  ardor  and  pertinacity 
that  must  have  earned  for  him  their  hearty  detestation. 
His  last  expedition  against  the  tories  of  Long  Island  oc- 
curred on  the  27th  of  July,  a  month  later  than  the  period 
of  our  narrative.  Promoted  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  he  had  been  ordered  to  take  command  of  a  detach- 
ment of  recruits,  and  proceed  to  his  old  patrolling  ground 
along  the  Kockaway  beach,  as  far  as  Hempstead,  where 
he  was  to  place  Lieut.  Townshend  upon  the  coast,  for  the 
purpose  of  discovering  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  in  his 
attempts  to  land.  All  communication  with  the  ships  of 
war  was  to  be  prevented,  and  those  who  attempted  it 
were  to  be  placed  in  confinement.  The  moment  the  enemy 
showed  signs  of  landing,  expresses  were  to  be  sent  imme- 
diately to  Col.  Sands's  headquarters,  at  Westbury,  and  all 
the  cattle  and  stock  to  be  driven  off.  Col.  Birdsall  had  taken 
his  new  position  but  two  days,  when  he  received  news  of 
a  body  of  armed  tories  who  were  encamped  in  a  strong 
position,  at  the  distance  of  three  or  four  miles.  The  com- 
mander of  one  of  the  detachments  near  Hempstead,  was 
Lieut.  Col.  Caary,  of  l!^ew  Haven.  This  officer  sent  a 
number  of  the  inhabitants  as  prisoners  to  Gen.  Greene's 
headquarters,  on  the  29th  of  June,  with  a  descriptive  list, 
the  phraseology  of  which  characterizes  the  writer  as 
strongly  as  his  comments  do  the  loyalists.  Some  of  these 
were  captured  at  the  skirmish  in  the  swamp  near  Demott's 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


93 


millpond,  and  the  others  were  taken  as  their  ill  fortune 
threw  them  into  the  Colonel's  hands.^ 

Between  two  of  the  numerous,  slender  creeks  which 
enter  Hempstead  bay,  lay  the  rich  neck  of  land  called 
Fort  ]^eck,  belonging  to  the  staunch  loyalist,  Judge 
Thomas  Jones.  One  of  these  streams,  called  Massapequa 
creek,  was  bordered  by  an  extensive  swamp,  whose  dense 
foliage  and  tangled  thickets,  of  catbriar  and  other  under- 
growth, concealed  many  a  snug  fastness  of  dry  ground. 
It  was  natural  that  a  gentleman  of  such  firm  loyalty  as 
Judge  Jones,  should  be  surrounded  by  a  number  of  his 
partisans,  as  well  for  his  own  as  for  their  protection.  On  the 
approach  of  their  old  enemy.  Col.  Ben  Birdsall,  they  took 
to  their  old  hiding  places  in  the  swamp,  but  not  soon 
enough  to  escape  his  vigilance.  Information  reached  him 
from  Joshua  Ketcham,  a  whig  committee  man,  of  Hunting- 
ton, that  thirty  or  forty  armed  tories  were  encamped  in 
the  ^J^ssapequa  swamp.  Arrangements  were  at  once 
entered  into  for  a  grand  hunt,  which  was  appointed  for 


^  This  schedule  of  names  and  characters  possesses  an  interest  for  us  at  this 
day,  that  will  warrant  its  insertion  here  : 

"  Joseph  Denton  and  John  Hutchinprs,  from  Jamaica  jail.  John  Cannon, 
he  received  powder,  and  absconded  into  the  woods.  Andrew  SoUen,  a 
disaffected  person  taken  in  the  woods.  Jacob  Lambertson,  found  with  his 
gun  charged.  Benj.  Pettit,  he  was  in  the  swamp  in  the  fight,  and  had 
powder  from  the  Asia  man-of-war.  Ezekiel  Rainer,  in  the  woods  hid. 
Richard  Smith,  in  the  swamp  battle,  and  had  powder  from  the  Asia.  Jere- 
miah Bedel,  a  disaffected  person.  Daniel  Smith,  in  the  swamp  battle. 
Elijah  Rainer,  hid  in  the  swamp.  Joseph  Bedle,  lame,  a  disaffected  person. 
Nathan  Smith,  received  powder  from  the  Asia,  absconded  in  the  woods  and 
appears  to  know  much  of  the  scheme.  Townsend  Weeks,  a  dammed  rascal 
and  the  greatest  tory.  William  McConn,  Thos.  Fleet,  Peter  Wheeler, 
Samuel  Townshend  and  John  Fleet,  declared  they  would  sooner  fight  for 
the  king  than  the  Congress,  and  totally  deny  the  authority  of  that  body. 
James  Cogswell,  a  gun  stealer,  or  informer  from  Newport.  Henry  Durland, 
said  Washington  was  more  concerned  in  the  conspiracy  than  any  one." 


94 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


the  succeeding  Tuesday,  four  days  subsequently.  The 
town  of  Huntington  was  to  send  two  hundred  men,  which, 
joined  to  the  same  number  from  Birdsall's  command, 
would  enable  him,  he  said,  to  drive  the  swamp,  "  and  take 
prisoners  the  whole  of  th  ese  deserting  armed  tories. "  ^  Col . 
Birdsall  was  in  high  spirits  at  the  prospect  of  success  in 
his  expedition,  and  expressed  the  utmost  confidence  that 
it  would  meet  the  approval  of  his  commanding  officer. 

Whether  unlooked  for  exigencies  of  the  service,  the 
imminence  of  the  invasion  by  the  British,  or  the  jealousy 
of  Col.  Sands,  prevented  the  accomplishment  of  his  adven- 
ture, we  are  unable  to  learn ;  but  that  it  did  not  succeed  in 
clearing  the  snug  retreat  of  loyalists,  we  learn  from  the 
fact  recited  by  Mr.  Onderdonk,  that  after  the  battle  of 
Brooklyn,  the  hunted  tories  "  came  out  of  Massapequa 
swamp,  and  swinging  their  hats,  huzzaed  for  King  George." 

It  is  difficult  at  this  day,  when  all  the  rancor  of  partisan 
strife  has  ceased,  to  refrain  from  hearty  sympathy  for  the 
sturdy  loyalists  who  endured  such  rigors  for  conscience 
sake.  That  must  have  been  a  principle  having  roots  deep 
down  in  strong  hearts,  which  could  impel  the  abandonment 
of  home  and  family  to  seek  an  abode  in  the  dreary  soli- 
tude and  misery  of  a  morass. 

By  the  last  of  June,  the  measures  of  the  conspirators 
had  matured  so  far  that  they  began  to  press  them  to  a 
fulfilment.  In  the  plot  were  now  engaged  many  of  the 
most  respectable  men  of  the  island,  who  had  combined 
with  others  of  desperate  character  and  low  fortune,  to 
accomplish  a  design  which  only  such  could  ever  have 


*Ben  Birdsall's  letter. — Journal  Provincial  Congress,  ii,  180. 


r 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  95 

deemed  possible.  David  Mathews,  the  mayor  of  I^ew 
York,  resided  for  a  portion  of  the  year  at  his  country-seat 
in  Flatbush ;  and  although,  by  his  great  adroitness  and 
caution,  he  managed  to  avoid  such  complicity  with  the 
plot  as  could  be  proven,  he  was  undoubtedly  the  lieu- 
tenant of  the  chief  conspirator,  Gov.  Tryon.  Mathews 
returned  to  the  city  immediately  after  its  occupation  by 
the  British,  and  remained  in  high  favor  during  the  war. 
l^"ear  him,  in  the  village  of  Flatbush,  resided  William 
Axtel,  a  loyalist  gentleman  of  wealth  and  influence,  after- 
wards Colonel  of  the  British  provincial  militia.  Dr. 
Samuel  Martin,  of  Hempstead,  and  Dr.  Charles  Arden,  of 
Jamaica,  like  most  of  the  gentlemen  of  education  and 
high  social  position,  were  attached  to  the  crown,  and  had 
become  deeply  engaged  in  the  plot.  Capt.  Archibald 
Hamilton,  of  Flushing,  a  proud  gentleman  of  considerable 
estate,  who  looked  upon  the  whig  committee  as  a  vulgar 
herd  of  mechanics  and  tradesmen,  was,  in  common  with 
almost  all  the  crown  officers  of  Long  Island,  among  the 
conspirators. 

One  of  the  persons  whose  name  was  associated  with 
them  claims  more  attention  from  us  than  a  passing  notice, 
not  so  much  from  the  importance  of  his  political,  as  of 
his  social  position.  This  was  John  Rapalye,  of  Brooklyn 
Ferry,  whose  great  estate  is  now  a  part  of  the  thickly 
populated  portion  of  the  city.  The  narrative  of  his  suffer- 
ing and  sacrifices  for  the  royal  cause  will  find  a  place  in 
these  pages  hereafter. 

Of  the  ninety-eight  persons  who  were  ultimately  charged 
with  complicity  in  the  plot,  fifty-six  were  residents  of  Kings 
and  Queens  counties.    At  the  head  of  the  list  stands  the 


96 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


name  of  Captain  Richard  Hewlett,  who  now  felt  that  he 
had  an  opportunity  for  revenging  the  persecution  of  his 
whig  enemies,  and  who  doubtless  entered  with  hearty  zeal 
into  the  project. 

Although  rumors  of  the  existence  of  some  dangerous 
conspiracy  had  thickened  each  day,  it  was  not  until  the 
20th  of  June  that  developments  of  its  nature  reached 
the  ears  of  the  revolutionary  authorities.  In  the  jail  of 
the  city  were  confined  two  soldiers  of  Washington's  life 
guard,  named  Michael  Lynch  and  Thomas  Hickey,  who 
had  been  arrested  on  a  charge  of  passing  bills,  counterfeit- 
ing the  Continental  issues.  Several  residents  of  Queens 
county  had  been  tried  for  manufacturing  these  fraudulent 
bills,  and  the  persons  in  custody  were  only  suspected  of 
uttering  them.  They  were,  however,  the  vile  instru- 
ments by  which  the  designs  of  the  more  prudent  and 
respectable  conspirators  were  to  be  carried  out.  Em- 
boldened by  the  durance  of  these  desperate  men,  one 
Collier,  a  waiter  at  one  of  the  five  taverns  whose  proprie- 
tors were  implicated,  divulged  such  important  fragments 
of  their  secret,  as  caused  unusual  consternation  and 
alarm  among  the  few  to  whom  they  were  communicated. 
The  provincial  Congress  immediately  appointed  Mr.  Mor- 
ris, Mr.  Jay,  and  Mr.  Livingston,  a  committee,  to  examine 
and  try  all  persons  who  might  be  implicated  in  the  con- 
spiracy. Futher  developments  gradually  accumulated, 
until  it  was  manifest  that,  while  the  designs  of  the  con- 
spirators extended  throughout  the  colony,  its  leaders  and 
chief  actors  were  residents  of  Long  Island,  and  their  first 
object  was  the  possession  of  the  person  of  Washington. 
On  the  accomplishment  of  this  purpose,  bodies  of  tories, 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  97 

at  numerous  points  within  the  colony,  were  to  seize  the 
occasion  of  the  universal  confusion  which  would  ensue,  and 
to  rise  upon  the  whigs,  paralyzed  and  panic  struck  by  the 
great  misfortune.  The  part  to  be  performed  by  Hickey 
and  Lynch,  was  the  seizure  of  Gen.  Washington,  who  was 
to  be  betrayed  by  Mary  Gibbons,  a  female  said  to  be  in 
his  confidence.^ 

We  cannot  follow  the  steps  of  this  curious  investigation 
further  than  it  relates  to  Long  Island ;  but  full  details  of 
the  affair  are  furnished  the  reader  in  a  volume  recently 
published,  entitled,  Minutes  of  a  Conspiracy  against  the 
Liberties  of  America. 

Orders  were  at  once  issued  by  Gen.  Washington  to 
Gen.  Greene  at  Brooklyn,  for  the  arrest  of  several  persons 
on  Long  Island ;  and  explicit  directions  were  given  that 
the  capture  of  Mayor  Mathews,  at  Flatbush,  should  be 
effected  precisely  at  one  o'clock  in  the  night,  an  instant 
search  being  made  for  treasonable  correspondence  before 
it  could  be  destroyed.  This  acute  and  sagacious  tory 
had,  however,  permitted  no  written  evidence  of  his  culpa- 
bility to  remain.  Fifty-six  summonses  were  served  upon 
leading  loyalists  who  resided  so  far  from  the  camp  that  an 
expedition  for  their  capture  could  not  have  reached  them 
before  they  would  have  had  information  of  its  object,  and 
have  sought  safety  in  some  of  their  secret  fastnesses,  or  on 
board  the  vessels  of  war.  In  a  day  or  two,  information 
arrived  that  several  of  the  conspirators,  despairing  of  escape, 
were  concealed  in  a  forest  near  Jamaica.  We  learn  from 
the  testimony  of  one  of  the  witnesses,  that  the  American 


^  For  full  account  see  American  Archives,  vi,  4tli  series ;  also  Proceed- 
ings of  the  Provincial  Congress,  i. 

13 


98 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


riflemen  were  so  numerous  along  the  bay  as  to  render  it  very 
difficult  to  get  on  board  the  vessels  of  war,  and  these  fugi- 
tives had  therefore  taken  to  the  woods.  Capt.  Marinus 
Willett  was  at  once  ordered  to  take  command  of  a  troop 
of  horse,  and  proceed  to  their  rendezvous,  taking  every 
precaution  to  secure  the  arrest  of  the  whole  party.  On  his 
arrival  at  the  village,  he  obtained  information  that  the 
conspirators,  conceiving  their  situation  to  be  thoroughly 
desperate,  had  determined  to  sell  their  lives  at  the  dearest 
price  to  their  adversaries.  A  party,  numbering  eighteen, 
had  accordingly  taken  up  a  strong  position  in  a  wood,  on 
the  top  of  a  hill  near  the  village,  where  they  designed  to 
make  their  defense  from  behind  forest  trees,  in  the  manner 
practiced  in  savage  warfare.  The  loyalists  doubtless 
believed  themselves  secure  from  attack  by  Capt.  Willett's 
troop,  as  it  was  impossible  for  cavalry  to  reach  their  posi- 
tion. Capt.  Willett  was  a  soldier  not  easily  intimidated, 
or  turned  aside  from  an  enterprise,  by  unforeseen  difficul- 
ties. Obtaining  a  small  reinforcement  at  Jamaica,  he 
dismounted  his  troop,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  surround 
the  eminence  upon  which  the  loyalists  were  posted.  Un- 
fortunately for  the  tory  desperadoes,  Capt.  Marinus  Willett 
was  a  most  adroit  and  skilful  Indian  fighter,  having  served 
with  credit  in  the  old  French  war.  In  this  sort  of  war- 
fare he  was  perfectly  at  home."  Using  the  forest  trees  as 
screens  for  his  approach,  he  drew  his  lines  closer  and  closer 
around  them  until  within  musket  shot,  when  a  brisk  fire 
was  opened  upon  the  besieging  party,  which  was  returned 
by  the  latter  as  they  continued  to  advance,  until  one  of 
the  loyalists  was  killed,  and  several  dangerously  wounded. 
In  this  species  of  warfare,  with  the  slightest  preponderance 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  99 

of  numbers,  the  advantages  must  be  greatly  in  favor  of  the 
assailants ;  as  their  fire  is  directed  towards  a  body  of  men 
confined  within  small  compass,  some  of  whose  number 
are  compelled  to  be  constantly  exposed  to  one  or  another 
portion  of  the  ring  of  foes,  while  these,  dispersed  over  a 
wide  circuit,  are  but  slightly  exposed  as  they  change  cover. 
The  position  of  the  loyalists  becoming  at  last  untenable, 
and  several  of  their  number  no  longer  capable  of  resistance, 
the  remainder  surrendered,  and  were  brought  prisoners  to 
JS'ew  York.  Had  the  tories  been  headed  by  Capt.  Eichard 
Hewlett,  the  former  associate  of  Capt.  Willett  in  the  old 
French  war,  the  victory  of  the  latter  would  not  have  been 
obtained  without  harder  fighting.^ 

At  the  trial  of  Thomas  Hickey  and  Lynch  the  gunsmith, 
Gilbert  Forbes,  one  of  the  accused,  made  a  statement,  on 
his  examination,  of  the  plan  of  the  attack  on  Brooklyn  and 
I^ew  York,  which  was  to  have  ensued  on  the  consummation 
of  the  plot.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  substantial  identity  with 
that  actually  adopted  by  Gen.  Howe  on  the  27th  of  August, 
two  months  subsequently.  A  discharged  sergeant  of  the 
Royal  Artillery,  named  Graham,  employed  as  a  spy,  had 
accurately  surveyed  the  Brooklyn  works,  of  which  he  had 
drawn  plans  and  concerted  the  whole  scheme  of  attack. 
The  result  of  Sergeant  Graham's  observations  had  been 
forwarded  to  Gov.  Try  on, ^  and  were  doubtless  submitted 
to  Gen.  Howe  on  his  arrival.  A  witness,  who  had 
accompanied  Absalom  Bull  to  Simonson's  tavern  at 
Hempstead,  declared  that  he  was  informed  that  cannon 


^Minutes  of  a  Conspiracy,  Philadelphia,  1865. 

^  American  Archives,  yi,  4th  series,  1178,  Forbes'  testimony. 


100 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


had  been  provided  in  several  places  on  Long  Island,  and 
that  three  field-pieces  and  a  mortar  were  concealed  under 
Simonson's  barn  floor.  Orders  were  immediately  issued 
for  the  arrest  of  Simonson,  innkeeper  in  Hempstead,  and 
the  capture  of  all  his  guns  and  munitions  of  war ;  but  the 
alarm  had  already  reached  that  village,  and  both  inn- 
keeper and  field-pieces  had  disappeared.  Ilickey  and 
Lynch  were  convicted  of  treason,  principally  on  the  evi- 
dence of  a  "jail  bird  who  had  played  tory,"  and  who  had 
obtained  their  confidence.  Hickey  was  accordingly  hung, 
a  few  days  subsequently. 

The  greatest  watchfulness  was  now  observed  by  the 
adherents  of  Congress  over  all  those  loyalist  ofiicers  who 
had  distinguished  themselves  in  the  old  French  war,  and 
particularly  over  the  partisan  leaders  who  had  obtained  any 
reputation  in  the  irregular  service  employed  against  the 
Indians.  One  of  the  persons  of  this  class,  considered  most 
dangerous,  was  Major  Robert  Rogers.  The  story  of  his 
adventures  is  still  preserved  in  his  own  narrative,  as  well 
as  by  his  association  with  Putnam,  who  had  served  as  a  lieu- 
tenant in  his  celebrated  corps.  These  two  noted  partisans 
met  once  more  in  'New  York;  Putnam  at  the  head  of  a 
division  of  the  American  army,  and  Rogers  under  arrest 
as  a  tory.  He  was  at  the  time  doubtless  engaged  in  enlist- 
ing the  corps  of  refugees ;  which  he  efifected,  among  the 
loyalists  of  Long  Island,  soon  after  the  battle  of  the  27th, 
having  made  his  escape  from  the  custody  of  the  Ameri- 
cans. In  the  same  letter  to  Congress  in  which  he  com- 
municates these  facts,  Washington  says :  "  The  plot  has 
been  traced  up  to  Gov.  Tryon,  and  Major  Rogers  appears 
to  have  been  a  principal  agent  between  him  and  the  per- 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  101 

sons  concerned  in  it.  The  plot  has  heen  communicated 
to  some  of  the  army,  and  part  of  my  guard  engaged  in  it. 
Thomas  Hickey,  one  of  them,  has  been  tried,  and  by  the 
unanimous  opinion  of  a  court  martial  is  sentenced  to  die, 
having  enlisted  himself,  and  engaged  others.  The  enclosed 
copy  of  a  resolve  of  the  provincial  Congress  will  show  that 
some  of  the  disaflected  on  Long  Island  have  taken  up  arms. 
I  have  agreeably,  to  their  request,  sent  a  party  after  them, 
having  concealed  themselves  in  different  woods  and  mo- 
rasses." 

The  plot  undoubtedly,  had  its  inception  on  board  of  the 
Asia,  was  matured  at  Flatbush,  the  residence  of  Mayor 
Mathews,  and  relied  for  its  principal  sustainers  and  adhe- 
rents upon  the  loyalists  of  Long  Island.  The  nightly 
return  of  Mathews  to  his  residence,  not  more  than  four 
or  five  miles  from  the  landing-place  of  boats  from  the 
Asia,  and  his  daily  return  to  the  city,  made  him  the  fittest 
organ  of  communication  between  the  Governor  and  the 
loyalists.^  The  conspiracy  failed  to  accomplish  anything, 
except  to  increase  the  rigors  of  the  surveillance  over  the 
Long  Island  loyalists,  who  felt  its  influence  for  many 
months  subsequently. 

One  of  the  personages  who  bore  a  prominent  part  in 
the  scenes  of  partisan  warfare  on  Long  Island,  deserves 
more  than  the  incidental  notice  he  has  received  from  its 
historians.  As  Col.  Birdsall's  name  will  not  again  appear 
in  this  narrative  of  revolutionary  affairs,  and  as  his  story 


^  Mary  Gibbons  disappears  from  history  immediately  after  the  committee 
becoming  acquainted  with  her  claims  to  their  notice,  asked  General  Wash- 
ington to  attend  one  of  their  sittings  for  the  purpose  of  learning  the  tenor 
of  the  evidence  relating  to  her. 


102  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

is  fairly  illustrative  of  the  fortunes  of  many  of  his 
comrades,  the  order  of  events  will  be  anticipated  in  its 
narration. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  the  27th  of  August  the 
Long  Island  militia  began  to  melt  away,  and  it  totally 
disappeared  on  the  disastrous  field  of  White  Plains.  Col. 
Birdsall  was  in  consequence  an  officer  without  a  com- 
mand ;  for  he  was  too  seriously  compromised  by  his  parti- 
san zeal  for  a  safe  return  to  Long  Island.  In  ISTovember,  of 
the  same  year,  he  wrote  a  detailed  narrative  of  his  services 
and  sufferings*  in  the  cause  of  liberty.  Col.  Birdsall  was 
often  employed  in  affairs  relating  to  Long  Island  during 
the  war,  and,  from  his  intimate  knowledge  of  its  geography 
and  people,  was  generally  chosen  as  the  flag  officer,  when- 
ever access  to  it  was  permitted  by  the  British.  On  these 
occasions  he  was  really  performing  the  office  of  a  spy,  and 
his  quick  eye  and  sharp  intelligence  were  fully  employed 
in  catching  every  detail  of  information  that  could  be  of 
use.  At  one  time  he  was  sent  with  money  and  sustenance 
for  the  starving  American  prisoners  at  the  Wallabout, 
and  in  Flatbush.  Attached  to  the  subscription  list, 
with  the  names  of  the  donors  to  the  fund  for  this  pur- 
pose, is  the  signature  of  Benj.  Birdsall,  certifying  to  the 
delivery  of  the  money  to  the  prisoners.  Col.  Birdsall's 
acute  attention  to  everything  around  him,  and  his  queries 
addressed  to  the  farmers  of  Brooklyn  and  Flatbush,  had 
not  escaped  the  notice  of  the  British,  and  complaints 
were  accordingly  made  to  the  commanding  officer  that 
the  conditions  of  his  admission  to  the  island  had  been  vio- 


*  Document  5. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  103 

lated.  On  one  of  these  occasions  he  narrowly  escaped 
falling  a  victim  to  the  vindictiveness  of  his  old  enemies, 
the  tories. 

In  January,  1778,  having  heen  granted  permission  to  visit 
some  part  of  the  island,  the  limits  of  which  were  strictly 
defined  in  his  pass,  his  steps  were  doubtless  dogged  by 
his  old  neighbors,  who  had  not  forgiven  him  the  close 
hunting  they  had  endured  from  him  in  Massepequa 
swamp  and  Jamaica  woods.  They  had  to  settle  with  him 
a  long  account  for  shot-guns  and  rifles  which  he  had  so 
unceremoniously  taken ;  for  fishing  boats  destroyed ;  and 
for  scores  of  fat  cattle  driven  from  their  farms,  to  feed  the 
American  army.  Having  overstepped  the  limits  specified 
in  his  pass  he  had  forfeited  its  privileges,  but  he  was  still 
fortunate  enough  to  be  arrested  by  the  authorities, 
instead  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  refugee  and  tory 
bands  which  prowled  about  the  island.  On  the  charge  of 
having  broken  his  parole,  he  was  taken  to  ISlew  York,  and 
imprisoned  in  the  deadly  Provost  for  several  months. 
Mr.  Onderdonk  says  he  was  held  as  a  hostage  for  one 
David  Eice.  During  his  imprisonment,  Birdsall  was 
subjected  to  all  the  cruelties  which  have  invested  that 
prison-house  with  so  many  dreadful  memories.  The 
stout  partisan  had  little  amenity  to  hope  for  in  the  sur- 
veillance of  the  cruel  Cunningham,  and  this  wretch  lost  no 
opportunity  of  extinguishing  even  that  hope.  On  one  oc- 
casion Capt.  Birdsall  requested  the  use  of  pen,  ink,  and 
paper,  for  the  purpose  of  acquainting  his  family  with  his 
situation.  Refused,  with  the  customary  expressions  of 
insult,  the  bold  spirit  of  the  whig  leader  revolted 
against  the  indignity,  and  he  returned  a  scornful  retort. 


104 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


The  rage  of  the  cowardly  and  vindictive  keeper  was  too 
great  to  be  expended  in  the  vile  language  which  he  poured 
out,  and  he  accompanied  this  with  a  thrust  of  his  sword, 
intended  to  murder  his  unarmed  prisoner.  Birdsall  had 
the  good  fortune  to  escape  with  a  severe  wound  in  the 
shoulder,  "  from  which  the  blood  flowed  freely."  The 
malice  of  Cunningham  was  still  unsatisfied,  and  his  method 
of  gratifying  it  was  more  disgraceful  than  this  assault.  He 
thrust  Birdsall  into  a  filthy  cell,  without  permitting  the  least 
assistance  to  be  ofi*ered  him,  or  any  companion  who  could 
alleviate  his  misery.  I^'othing  but  the  indomitable  spirit  of 
the  man,  joined  to  the  vigor  of  his  constitution,  hardened 
in  the  privations  of  partisan  warfare,  enabled  him  to  survive 
the  terrible  infliction  of  wounds,  starvation,  and  filth.  With 
the  aid  of  strips  from  his  linen  shirt,  he  contrived  to 
dress  his  wounds;  and  for  "  several  months  endured,  in 
solitude  and  misery,  every  indignity  which  the  malice  of 
the  provost  marshal  urged  him  to  inflict  upon  a  rebel" 

Gen,  Washington,  when  made  acquainted  with  his 
situation,  took  measures  to  have  his  wife  and  children 
conveyed  from  Long  Island  to  Dover,  in  Dutchess  county, 
where  they  remained  until  peace  was  proclaimed.  During 
his  incarceration.  Col.  Birdsall,  who  had  only  held  his 
rank  in  the  Long  Island  militia,  was  promoted  to  the 
same  grade  in  the  Continental  service,  and,  soon  after, 
arrangements  were  made  for  his  exchange.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son's account  differs,  in  some  material  respects,  from  that 
here  given  on  good  authority.  As  it  is  possibly  a  true 
narration  of  another  captivity  -  to  which  the  adventurous 


*  T/iomp^on's  History  of  Long  Island. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  105 

spirit  of  the  partisan  officer  subjected  him,  it  is  here  sub- 
joined :  "  Soon  after  the  evacuation  of  Xew  York  by  the 
Americans,  a  circumstance  occurred  which  exhibited,  in  bold 
relief,  the  intrepidity  and  patriotism  of  Capt.  Birdsall.  An 
American  vessel,  laden  with  flour  for  the  army,  had  been 
captured  by  the  British  in  the  Sound ;  and  Capt.  Birdsall 
believing  she  might  be  retaken,  offered,  if  the  undertaking 
were  approved  by  his  superior  officer,  to  superintend  the 
enterprise  in  person.  The  proposal  met  the  approbation 
of  the  commanding  officer,  and  the  captain,  with  a  few 
select  men,  made  the  experiment,  and  succeeded  in  send- 
ing the  vessel  to  her  original  destination.  But  it  so 
happened  that  he  and  one  of  his  men  were  taken  prisoners 
by  the  enemy." 

There  is  much  more  dramatic  interest  in  Mr.  Thomp- 
son's story  of  Birdsall's  capture ;  but  two  or  three  well 
authenticated  events  in  his  life  can  hardly  be  reconciled 
with  the  occurrence  of  it  at  the  period  mentioned.  Mr. 
Thompson  says  it  was  soon  after  the  retreat  from  i^ew 
York;  but,  on  ^^NTovember  28th,  1776,  Col.  Birdsall  wrote 
a  letter  from  Xew  Haven,  stating  one  of  his  grievances  to 
be  his  having  no  employment  in  the  army. 

Mr.  Onderdonk,  in  his  volume  entitled  Queens  County  in 
the  Olden  Time,  under  date  of  1778,  says  that  Birdsall  was 
taken  on  the  6th  of  January  of  that  year,  while  under  a  flag 
of  truce  on  Long  Island,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  oft"  two 
families.  In  1782,  Col.  Birdsall  made  several  visits  to 
the  Island,  crossing  from  Stamford  to  the  British  camp  at 
Lloyd's  Xeck.  From  the  commanding  officer.  Col.  Upham, 
he  received  permission  to  proceed  to  South  Oyster  Bay, 

with  the  proviso  that  he  should  return  within  ten  days, 
U 


106  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

and  be  accompanied  everywhere  by  a  loyalist  named  John 
Hewlett.  The  British  had  learned  to  distrust  Birdsall's 
eyes  and  tongue,  and  they  placed  the  restraint  of  a  tory 
companion  upon  him,  who  must  keep  the  spy  himself 
under  espionage.  On  his  return,  Birdsall  was  permitted 
to  take  with  him  his  two  sons,  and  some  of  his  property. 
It  is  these  minute  narrations  which  convey  to  us  the 
actual  condition  of  the  British  rule,  and  serve  to  paint 
for  us  an  interesting  picture  of  the  manner  and  spirit  of 
the  times.  From  them  we  learn  that  a  more  kindly  and 
humane  spirit  than  we  are  prone  to  believe,  must  have 
often  controlled  the  British  officers ;  for  the  indulgences 
shown  to  so  fierce  a  partisan  as  Benj.  Birdsall,  indicate 
a  gentler  rule  than  civil  war  usually  produces. 

Col.  Birdsall  wrote  to  Gen.  Clinton  a  brief  narration 
of  his  visit,  which  exhibits  the  fact  that  his  loyalist  com- 
panion ,  John  Hewlett,  had  not  taken  him  on  his  route  blind- 
folded. "  I  eflected  a  four  weeks'  disagreeable  journey, 
and  was  sixteen  days  on  the  island,  during  seven  of  which 
I  was  in  [the  British]  camp  on  Lloyd's  I^eck.  The  fare  in 
the  camp  is  hard,  and  it  is  the  wickedest  place  I  ever  met 
with.  There  was  no  restraint.  I  noticed  everything.  The 
larger  farmers  and  traders  do  well,  but  all  others  are 
worn  out.  There  were  thirty  wood  vessels  in  Huntington 
harbor,  convoyed  by  three  small  privateers,  called  the 
Lloyd  l^eck  fleet.    A  ton  of  hay  cost  the  king  X30."  ^ 

One  of  the  residents  of  Kings  county,  named  John 
Eapalye,  much  esteemed  for  his  services  as  a  public  offi- 
cer and  citizen,  had  fallen  under  the  ban  of  the  whig 


^  Onderdonk's  Queens  County  in  Olden  Time. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


107 


committee  at  an  early  period  of  the  contest.  A  consci- 
entious royalist,  his  professions  of  political  faith,  notwith- 
standing the  moderation  of  their  expression,  had  obliterated 
all  memory  of  his  excellences  as  a  citizen ;  and  he  was 
accordingly  denounced  by  the  revolutionary  tribunal  as  a 
tory,  and  a  probable  conspirator.  One  of  the  witnesses  at 
the  recent  trial  had  spoken  of  the  use  intended  to  be  made 
by  the  conspirators  of  John  Rapalye's  periagua;  and 
another  had  stated  that  the  British  were  to  march  by 
Eapalye's  mill,  after  landing  at  'New  Utrecht ;  but  not  a 
word  of  testimony  criminated  the  man,  whose  life  was 
entirely  blameless,  except  for  a  frank  expression  of  his 
honest  preference  for  the  old  government.  All  the  terri- 
tory in  the  city  of  Brooklyn  which  is  enclosed  between 
Fulton  and  Sands  streets,  the  East  River  and  the  Nslyj 
yard,  comprising  nearly  two  hundred  acres,  was  the  pro- 
perty of  John  Rapalye.  He  was  the  deputy  of  Leffert 
Lefferts,  the  town  clerk  of  Brooklyn,  and  performed  the 
active  duties  of  the  office.  Denounced  to  the  committee  of 
safety  of  the  provincial  Congress,  he  was  arrested,  or 
surrendered  himself  into  custody.  Perhaps  it  was  worse 
fortune  for  John  Rapalye  that  nothing  could  be  alleged 
against  him.  His  excellent  reputation,  and  fearless  charac- 
ter, marked  his  example  too  strongly,  and  he  was  accord- 
ingly driven  into  exile,  taking  up  his  residence  for  the 
time  in  New  Jersey. 

During  the  succeeding  August,  this  loyalist  exile  was 
found  in  possession  of  a  flock  of  sheep,  which  it  was 
believed  were  intended  for  Gen.  Howe's  army,  then 
encamped  on  Staten  Island.  His  associate  escaped,  with 
a  number  of  fat  wethers,  to  the  British  lines,  leaving 


108 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


Rapalye  to  bear  the  brunt  of  whig  indignation.  Such 
was  the  extreme  moderation  of  the  provincial  Congress  in 
the  exercise  of  its  authority,  that  even  now  all  that  was 
required  of  the  recusant  royalist  was  that  he  should  take 
the  oath  of  submission,  and  live  at  peace.  But  loyalty 
with  J ohn  Rapaly e  was  not  a  habit  to  be  put  on  and  off 
so  carelessly.  Having  sturdily  refused  to  make  any  com- 
promise of  his  political  principles,  Eapalye  was  sent  under 
guard  to  Connecticut,  where  a  sterner  republican  rule 
afforded  fewer  indulgences  than  in  the  colony  of  i^ew  York; 
and,  accordingly,  on  his  arrival  at  N"orwich  he  was  thrust 
into  the  common  jail.^  The  thrifty  republicans  of  I^ew 
England,  however,  not  unwilling  that  their  prisoner  should 
relieve  the  State  of  his  support,  granted  him  leave  of  ab- 
sence, on  his  parole  to  return  within  six  weeks ;  and  during 
that  time  he  was  bound  by  the  same  obligation  to  do  or 
say  nothing  against  the  republic,  nor  to  give  intelligence 
or  advice  concerning  its  affairs.  The  council  also  passed  a 
resolution  requesting  the  furloughed  prisoner  to  furnish 
five  detenues  whom  it  named,  and  other  persons  not 
specified,  with  money,  at  his  own  risk  of  repayment. 
In  consideration  of  this  privilege,  he  was  permitted  to 
remove  such  members  of  his  family  as  he  chose  from 
Brooklyn  to  ITorwich. 

A  person  of  some  note  on  Long  Island,  at  this  time  a 
prisoner  in  I^orwich  jail,  was  named  as  one  of  the  benefi- 
ciaries of  Rapalye's  loan.    This  was  J  udge  Thomas  J  ones. 


^Four  months  after,  we  find  it  was  represented  to  the  governor  and 
council  of  Connecticut  that  "  John  Rapalye  was  lying  in  jail,  destitute  of 
clothing  and  necessaries  of  supplies,  and  desired  to  return  to  his  family  on 
Long  Island  to  obtain  them." 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


109 


of  Fort  ITeck,  a  gentleman  of  wealth  and  refinement, 
who  had  filled  the  high  station  of  justice  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  colony  of  I:^ew  York,  after  the  death  of  Judge 
Horsemanden,  then  residing  at  Flatbush.  His  high  social 
and  political  position  gave  too  much  importance  to  his 
royalist  sentiments,  to  allow  their  infiuence  upon  the 
population  of  Queens  county  to  be  overlooked.  He  had 
accordingly  been  arrested,  and  with  many  of  the  highest 
reputation  for  intelligence,  wealth,  and  purity  of  moral  cha- 
racter, had  been  immured  in  the  county  jail.  He  was  now 
as  destitute  as  John  Rapalye  himself ;  and  permission  was 
therefore  granted  the  latter  to  procure  clothing  and  suste- 
nance for  his  fellow-prisoner.  Evidences  of  Rapalye's 
faithful  performance  of  his  obligations  were  some  time  in 
the  following  December  exhibited,  in  a  draft  for  five 
hundred  pounds,  drawn  by  John  Eapalye,  and  cashed  in 
i^^orwich,  the  proceeds  of  which  were  distributed  among  his 
royalist  friends  in  prison.  This  letter  of  credit  performed 
a  similar  errand  of  mercy,  being  sent  on  to  'New  York, 
where  its  acceptor  paid  its  amount,  to  relieve  the  suflerings 
of  the  American  prisoners  then  in  confinement.  In  com- 
mon with  other  exiled  tories,  John  Rapalye  was  permitted 
to  return  home  some  months  after  the  occupation  of  Long 
Island  by  the  British,  having  been  exchanged  for  such  whig 
non-combatants  as  were  held  in  durance  by  the  enemy. 

During  the  long  period  which  elapsed  while  the  British 
held  possession  of  the  Island,  he  exhibited  such  traits  of 
humanity  as  entitle  him  to  the  highest  consideration. 
Gen.  Jeremiah  Johnson  says  of.^him  in  his  characteristic- 
ally emphatic  manner :  "  John  Rapalye  was  an  honest 
man,  and  one  of  the  few  who  conscientiously  adhered  to 


110  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  crown.  He  was  very  humane  to  his  whig  neighbors, 
and  to  the  prisoners  on  the  ships,  and  did  all  he  could  to 
relieve  their  wants.  Had  he  remained  on  the  island  after 
the  evacuation  by  the  British,  he  would  not  have  lost  his 
estate,  as  the  legislature  would  have  permitted  him  to 
retain  it,  on  account  of  his  humanity,  and  the  kindness 
with  which  he  treated  the  whigs  after  his  return  from 
exile,  instead  of  revenging  his  own  wrongs.  This  Christ- 
ian gentleman  again  went  into  exile  in  1783,  and  died  in 
l^ova  Scotia."^ 

The  proper  disposition  to  be  made  of  the  loyalists  of  Long 
Island,  became  at  length  a  subject  not  only  of  alarm  but  of 
great  embarrassment  to  the  Congress  of  !N'ew  York.  Most 
of  the  suspected  had  been  imprisoned  or  banished,  and  the 
jails  of  the  colonies  were  crowded  with  their  leaders;  yet 
the  loyalty  of  the  remaining  inhabitants  of  the  Island  was 
still  perverse  and  threatening.  Great  alarm  was  also  felt 
by  the  provincial  Congress,  at  the  growing  vindictiveness 
exhibited  by  the  friends  of  those  incarcerated  and  exiled. 
The  distress  of  these  persons,  and  of  their  families,  aroused 
such  a  clamor  that  it  portended  a  future  harvest  of  revenge. 
Gouverneur  Morris  was  therefore  directed  to  communi- 
cate to  Gen.  "Washington  the  particulars  of  the  dilemma  in 
which  Congress  found  itself  placed ;  but  the  great  events 
then  impending,  and  the  more  imminent  dangers  which 
threatened  the  commonwealth,  crowded  all  minor  affairs 
from  attention. 

To  the  chagrin  of  the  more  ardent  whigs,  it  was  now 
apparent,  that  while  all  the  towns  of  Kings  county,  except 


^Manuscript  Recollections  of  the  Revolution. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


Ill 


Flatlands,  assented  to  the  demands  of  the  provincial  Con- 
gress, and  elected  delegates  thereto,  yet  there  still  lingered, 
even  in  the  minds  of  the  very  persons  so  chosen,  either 
a  chilling  indifference  or  a  strong  aversion  to  the  great 
objects  contemplated  by  the  revolutionists.  The  deputies 
from  Kings  county,  in  1775,  were  Richard  Still  well,  Theo- 
dorus  Polhemus,  John  Lefferts,  Mcolas  Cowenhoven,  Jo- 
hannes E.  Lott,  John  Yanderbilt,  Henry  Williams,  and 
Jeremiah  Eemsen.  Three  of  these  gentlemen  were  not 
elected  to  the  Congress  of  1776;  Messrs.  Leffert  Lefferts, 
Eutgert  Yan  Brunt,  and  Jeremiah  Yanderbilt,  being 
chosen  in  their  places. 

As  early  as  February  18th,  1776,  the  provincial  Con- 
gress passed  a  resolution  requesting  the  members  from 
Kings  county,  who  had  been  exceedingly  irregular  in 
their  attendance  upon  its  sittings,  to  appear  in  their 
place  and  resume  their  seats.    Four  of  the  eight  delegates 
did  accordingly  participate  in  the  labors  and  deliberations 
of  that  body,  for  a  few  sittings ;  but  on  the  16th  of  April, 
another  election  was  held,  at  which,  by  a  resolution  adopted 
at  the  several  town  meetings,  the  eight  delegates  were 
empowered  to  depute  any  one  of  their  number  to  ajpjpear  in 
Congress,  and  act  for  the  ivhole.    While  every  member  of 
that  body  from  other  counties  of  the  colony  exhibited  the 
greatest  zeal  in  the  progress  of  revolutionary  measures, 
there  is  scarcely  a  single  project  or  motion  on  record, 
originating  with  the  members  from  Kings  county.    It  is 
not  derogating  from  the  worth  or  earnestness  of  these 
gentlemen  to  say  that  they  undoubtedly  reflected  the 
exact  sentiments  of  the  great  mass  of  their  constituents ; 
that  their  discernment  taught  them  that  the  rule  of  Con- 


112 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


gress  could  not  long  be  maintained  over  the  Island,  and 
that  after  its  abandonment  by  the  Americans,  the  republi- 
can leaders  must  feel  the  wrath  of  the  reinstated  royal 
authorities. 

The  new  provincial  Congress  of  ITew  York  met  May 
14th ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  proximity  of  the  city  where 
it  was  in  session,  and  the  easy  representation  by  proxy, 
the  journals  show  that  during  the  next  one  hundred  and 
thirty-six  sessions,  Kings  county  was  not  represented  in 
more  than  five,  by  even  one  delegate.  On  the  14th  of 
August,  three  months  subsequently  to  his  election,  Mr. 
Polhemus  appeared  in  his  place,  and  declared  that  Kings 
county  having  elected  no  delegates  since  May  last,  the 
county  committee  had  directed  him  to  attend  as  a  mem- 
ber, pursuant  to  an  election  of  that  date.  Congress 
indulged  the  gentle  patriotism  of  the  county,  by  permit- 
ting Mr.  Polhemus  to  represent  it  in  their  body,  in  every- 
thing except  in  matters  relating  to  government.  It  will 
thus  be  seen  that  everywhere  on  Long  Island,  except  in 
Sufiblk  county,  either  the  most  ardent  loyalty  to  the 
crown,  or  the  most  languid  attachment  to  revolutionary 
doctrines,  still  prevailed. 

Several  of  the  eleven  persons  elected  to  serve  in  the 
provincial  Congress  as  delegates  from  Kings  county,  ren- 
dered eminent  secret  services  to  the  Continental  govern- 
ment during  the  long  period  of  its  occupation  by  British 
soldiers.  Of  these,  none  contributed  more  essential  aid 
to  the  revolutionary  cause  than  Leflert  Leflerts,  of  Bed- 
ford. Possessed  of  wealth,  and  a  cultivated  mind,  it 
would  naturally  have  been  expected  of  him  to  rank  himself 
with  the  supporters  of  the  royal  government;  yet,  while  he 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  113 

acted  during  the  Britisli  rule  as  an  agent  for  tlie  military 
authorities,  it  is  evident  that  it  was  in  the  interest  of  his 
old  neighbors,  and  with  the  design  of  protecting  them 
from  extortion  and  loss  of  property.  When  forced  con- 
tributions of  supplies,  or  a  levy  of  forage,  or  of  wagons  and 
teams,  were  made  by  the  British  officers  in  command  in 
Brooklyn,  Mr.  Lefferts  was  usually  appointed  to  estimate 
the  value  of  the  subsidy ;  and  the  amount  certified  by  him 
was  paid  to  the  contributors.  The  secret  agents  of  Con- 
gress, who  found  access  to  Brooklyn  through  the  enemy's 
lines,  obtained  large  sums  from  Mr.  Lefferts  in  aid  of  the 
revolution,  for  evidence  of  which  he  had  often  not  even 
their  individual  receipt.  The  possession  of  such  a  docu- 
ment at  that  period  was  much  better  calculated  to  be  pro- 
ductive of  danger  than  of  profit. 

More  than  one  of  the  delegates  from  Kings  held  com- 
mands in  the  militia,  and  were  in  service  on  Long  Island 
until  the  retreat  of  the  American  army.  Rutgert  Yan 
Brunt  was  Colonel,  Mcholas  Cowenhoven  Lieutenant 
Colonel,  and  John  Yanderbilt  Major,  of  the  Kings  county 
militia.  Jeremiah  Yanderbilt,  another  delegate,  was  Cap- 
tain of  the  Flatlands  company ;  and  the  secretary  of  the 
county  committee  of  safety,  Abram  Yan  Ranst,  was  Lieu- 
tenant in  the  Bush  wick  company.  It  is  true  that  service 
in  the  militia  did  not  in  all  cases  indicate  revolutionary 
fervor ;  as  the  enrolment  was  coercive,  and  these  gentle- 
men, as  well  as  all  other  citizens,  had  but  to  choose  between 
performing  duty  in  the  ranks,  or  holding  commands.  Col. 
Nicholas  Cowenhoven  narrowly  escaped  being  executed 
as  a  traitor  and  spy  by  Washington,  a  few  weeks  subse- 
quently ;  and  only  by  the  most  adroit  trimming  was  he  ena- 
15 


114 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


bled  to  avoid  embroilment  with  one  party  or  the  other  dur- 
ing the  whole  period  of  the  war.  We  are  in  possession  of  a 
most  lachrymose  and  penitential  letter  written  by  him  to 
Governor  Clinton  towards  the  close  of  the  war,  when  it 
became  evident  that  the  revolution  would  triumph.  His 
adroitness,  time  serving,  and  subserviency,  received  its 
reward ;  for  he  throve  in  various  functions  during  the 
British  occupation;  made  his  peace  with  his  victorious 
countrymen,  after  the  evacuation ;  profited  by  the 
necessities  of  his  fellow  citizens,  when  they  came  before 
him  as  a  commissioner  to  settle  their  claims  for  damages 
suffered  during  the  early  days  of  the  revolution;  and  died, 
full  of  honors,  a  magistrate  of  the  county  court. 

The  last  act  performed  by  the  people  of  Kings  county, 
which  recognized  the  existence  of  a  revolutionary  govern- 
ment, until  the  evacuation  of  the  Island  by  the  British,  more 
than  seven  years  after,  was  the  election  of  delegates  to  the 
provincial  Congress,  on  the  19th  of  August ;  while  twenty- 
three  thousand  of  the  enemy's  troops  were  forming  on  the 
shore  of  Staten  Island  for  embarkation  in  boats,  to  cross  the 
bay,  and  land  upon  Long  Island.  Three  days  subsequently, 
the  towns  of  l^ew  Utrecht  and  Gravesend  were  swarming 
with  the  invader's  forces;  and  the  imminence  of  the  danger 
tended  neither  to  add  vigor  to  the  patriotism  of  the  despair- 
ing whigs,  nor  to  weaken  the  loyalty  of  the  exultant  tories. 

The  directions  of  Congress  to  the  several  towns,  to  instruct 
their  delegates  to  form  a  new  State  Government,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  recent  Declaration  of  Independence,  were 
disregarded;  and  the  election  of  deputies  was  therefore 
declared  void,  and  the  farce  of  representation  in  the  pro- 
vincial Congress  by  the  people  of  Kings  county,  contrary 


DsTRODUCTORY  XARRATIVE. 


115 


to  their  desire,  was  at  an  end.  There  were  not  wanting, 
however,  those  who  were  revolutionists  from  principle, 
and  who  joined  so  heartily  in  measures  which  forwarded 
the  designs  of  Congress  that  subsequent  accommodation 
with  the  British  became  impossible. 

Abram  Yan  Ranst,  clerk  of  the  county  conventions  that 
met  to  appoint  delegates  to  Congress,  was  an  ardent  whig, 
and  suffered  in  person  and  property  for  his  patriotism. 
He  was  the  proprietor  of  one  of  the  pleasant  farms  of  rich 
land  which  were  allotted  to  the  original  colonists,  near 
the  Bushwick  church.  His  warm  Dutch  farm-house  was 
occupied  during  the  revolution  as  the  headquarters  of  Col. 
McPherson,  the  commander  of  a  band  of  refugees,  who 
were  termed  the  corps  of  guides  and  spies.  A  company 
of  more  abandoned  wretches,  it  is  probable,  was  not  cre- 
ated by  the  disorders  of  a  period  so  prolific  of  inhuman 
and  bloodthirsty  men.^  Captain  Yan  Ranst  could  hardly 
have  been  present  at  the  battle  and  siege  of  Brooklyn,  as 
one  of  the  Connecticut  newspapers  of  the  day  narrates 
that  he  arrived  at  Harlaem  on  the  27th  of  August,  with  his 
family,  in  a  boat.^    Bushwick  creek,  then  a  navigable  tide 

* "  After  the  revolution,  when  the  asperity  vdth  which  the  contest  between 
the  whigs  and  tones  had  somewhat  abated,  several  of  the  oflBcers  of  the  corps 
of  guides  and  spies  returned  to  Long  Island.  One  of  these,  named  Vincent, 
who  ventured  back  the  vear  succeeding  the  war,  was  arrested  at  Albany  in 
1784,  on  the  charge  of  setting  fire  to  some  part  of  the  citv.  He  was  tried 
for  arson,  convicted  and  hung,  within  so  short  an  interval  succeeding  his 
arrest,  that  it  would  greatly  shock  the  legal  fraternity  at  this  day  by  its  un- 
seemly haste.  There  were  others  of  the  gang  who  deserved  a  like  fate, 
but  escaped." — Manuscript  Journal  of  Gen.  Johnson. 

^On  his  arrival  at  the  camp  in  Harlaem,  Captain  Tan  Ranst,  reported  that 
information  had  been  received  that  fifteen  hundred  British  troops  had  sur- 
rounded the  house  of  Simon  Duryea  on  the  Bushwick  lane  (a  mile  north  of  the 
present  Evergreen  Cemetery)  and  seized  his  horses,  wagons  and  arms,  and 
that  two  companies  of  militia  had  been  disarmed  and  perhaps  taken  prisoners. 


116 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


stream,  flowed  almost  to  his  door,  and  aflbrded  him  a 
ready  means  of  securing  his  flight.  He  remained  an 
exile  from  his  home  for  seven  years. 

Barent  Johnson,  Captain  of  the  Brooklyn  company,  and 
afterward  Major  in  the  Continental  service,  also  accompa- 
nied the  American  army  in  the  long  series  of  disastrous 
retreats  which  followed  its  abandonment  of  the  Island. 
He  fought  at  Harlaem  and  White  plains;  and  at  last, 
broken  in  health,  he  made  his  accommodation  with  the 
British,  and  returned  to  his  home  in  Brooklyn,  only  to 
linger  a  year  or  two,  when  he  died.  During  this  brief 
period,  his  house  was  the  rendezvous  of  the  secret  agents 
of  the  Americans,  who  traversed  the  island  constantly, 
both  as  spies  and  as  collectors  of  the  funds  loaned  to  the 
State.  These  persons  were  often  hidden  in  his  house  at 
the  Wallabout,  while  it  was  the  quarters  of  British  oflicers 
and  troops.  The  sums  loaned  to  the  revolutionary  agents, 
by  Major  Johnson,  and  taken  by  them  through  the  British 
lines  in  safety,  amounted  to  more  than  five  thousand 
dollars. 

A  stout-hearted  partisan  of  the  whigs,  named  Adolph 
Waldron,  at  this  period  of  our  narrative,  held  the  lease 
of  the  Brookland  ferry,  at  the  foot  of  Fulton  street,  from 
the  corporation  of  E"ew  York.  He  was  also  the  landlord 
of  the  inn  near  the  landing;  which,  during  the  revolution, 
became  noted  for  the  British  sports  of  bull-baiting  and 
prize-fighting,  under  the  tory  landlord,  Charles  Loosely. 
One  of  the  first  to  feel  the  stir  of  revolutionary  disquiet, 
Waldron  had,  in  September  1775,  called  a  meeting  at  his 
inn  of  those  citizens  who  were  desirous  of  forming  a  mili- 
tary organization.    Waldron,  as  its  patron,  was  in  the 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


117 


regular  order  which  governs  such  popular  assemblies 
elected  chairman  of  the  meeting;  and  as  it  is  probable 
that  it  consisted  largely  of  his  old  confreres,  and  patrons 
of  his  bar,  he  was,  with  due  formality,  chosen  Captain  of 
the  troop  of  horse  which  the  assembly  of  citizens  deter- 
mined should  be  organized.  The  stout  innkeeper  proved 
a  good  officer,  and  his  troop  of  light  horse  was  employed 
by  Gen.  Sterling  in  guarding  the  coast  of  i^ew  Utrecht  and 
Gravesend,  until  relieved  by  Col.  Hand's  regiment  of  rifle- 
men. His  energetic  patriotism,  combined  with  his  ambition 
for  military  honors,  was  not  indulged  by  Captain  "Waldron 
without  heavy  cost ;  for  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  his 
ferry,  his  snug  tavern,  and  even  his  troop  horse,  and  remain 
in  exile  at  Preakness  in  'New  Jersey  during  the  war, 
Whether  his  narrow  escape  from  the  pursuing  dragoons 
of  Delancey,  in  his  flight  across  the  Sound  at  Huntington, 
had  cooled  his  zeal,  or  whether  he  found  no  opportunity  of 
recovering  his  rank  in  a  cavalry  company,  neither  history 
nor  tradition  inform  us.  It  is  probable  that  the  loud  re- 
monstrances of  the  blatant  Loosely,  whose  inn,  kept  in  the 
Corporation  house,  was  often  the  scene  of  high  carousal 
by  the  British  officers,  with  whom  he  doubtless  ac- 
quired a  sort  of  influence,  operated  greatly  against  any 
accommodation  with  the  British  authorities,  if  Waldron 
desired  to  make  it.^ 

Another  cavalry  company,  entitled  the  Kings  county 
troop,  was  organized  at  the  village  of  Bedford.    The  com- 


^  Capt.  Waldron's  shrewdness  enabled  liim  to  reimburse  some  portion  of 
his  losses  on  his  return  to  Brooklyn  in  1783.  The  winter  was  terribly 
severe,  and  the  sufferings  of  the  inhabitants  of  New  York  for  want  of  fuel 
were  dreadful.    The  wasteful  extravagance  of  the  British  soldiers,  had,  in 


118 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


mander,  Lambert  Sujdam,  deserves  something  more  at 
our  hands  than  the  simple  statement  of  his  rank,  both  on 
account  of  his  merits,  his  eccentricities,  and  his  adventures. 
He  was  a  brave  little  Dutch  farmer,  vrhose  compact  frame, 
possessing  dimensions  more  remarkable  for  breadth  than 
for  height,  scarcely  entitled  him  to  fill  the  popular  ideal  of  a 
gallant  cavalry  officer.  He  was  of  a  fiery,  resolute  cha- 
racter, that  permitted  neither  insult  to  his  dignity,  nor 
encroachment  upon  his  rights ;  and,  altogether,  was  of  such 
a  petulant,  high-spirited,  and  honorable  disposition,  as 
would  have  delighted  the  soul  of  Petrus  Stuyvesant,  or  the 
imagination  of  Washington  Irving.  His  troop  swept  the 
Clove  road  to  Flatbush,  and  the  Bedford  road  to  Jamaica, 
patroUing  them  night  and  day  to  discover  traces  of  the 
enemy's  advance.  It  was  the  great  pride  of  this  stout 
little  Dutch  Captain,  to  mount  his  great  farm  horse,  and 
place  himself  with  all  the  despotic  authority  of  military 
discipline  at  the  head  of  his  troopers,  marshalled  in  line 
before  his  door,  and  then  push  out  upon  one  of  his  daily 
excursions,  to  scour  the  king's  highway  for  any  of  the 
king's  emissaries  who  should  intrude  upon  it.  Capt.  Suy- 
dam  accompanied  Gen.  Woodhull  in  his  last  foray  on 
the  fat  beeves  of  the  farmers  of  Flatlands  and  Jamaica, 
his  troopers  sweeping  them  up  with  the  rigor  if  not  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Scotch  borderers,  and  crowding  them  up 


seven  years,  swept  almost  every  tree  from  tlie  tall  forests  of  Brooklyn 
and  Bostwick.  Fire  wood  had  in  consequence  become  so  scarce  and  dear, 
that  the  price  rose  to  sums  almost  fabulous.  Capt.  Waldron  seized  his 
advantage  as  proprietor  of  the  ferry,  and  purchased  all  the  wood  brought 
there  by  the  farmers,  freighted  his  boats  with  the  precious  commodity, 
and  sold  it  in  the  city  at  prices  which  he  had  the  power  to  fix,  almost 
without  limit. — Manuscript  Journal  of  Oen.  Johnson. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


119 


in  great  droves  towards  the  Hempstead  plains.  It  was 
among  the  last  military  orders  of  the  noble  President  of 
the  provincial  Congress  to  detach  Capt.  Suydam  from  his 
guard  at  Jamaica  on  the  day  of  the  battle,  and  send  him 
on  to  the  east.  The  grand  self-devotion  of  the  General, 
would  not  permit  any  other  officer  to  share  the  danger  he 
knew  to  be  so  closely  impending  over  himself.  Capt. 
Suydam  pushed  on  to  unite  his  troop  to  the  command  of 
Col.  Livingston ;  but  he  was  met  near  Hempstead  by  Col. 
Gilbert  Potter,  who  commanded  a  regiment  of  Suffolk 
county  militia,  and  who,  under  the  influence  of  the  panic 
that  fell  on  all  the  troops  of  Congress  at  the  terrible 
defeat  on  the  27th  of  August,  ordered  the  Captain  to  leave 
the  Island.^  Here,  struck  with  a  seeming  paralysis  of 
reason,  Capt.  Suydam  committed  the  error  of  permitting  his 
troop  to  abandon  their  horses,  and  pass  over  the  Sound  to 
Westchester.  The  prominence  which  the  Captain's  ex- 
ploits had  given  him,  permitted  but  little  hope  to  be 
indulged  by  his  friends  that  the  British  would  allow  him 
to  return  to  his  home,  without  some  sharp  reminder  of 
his  cattle-raiding  offences;  and,  as  Washington  could  neither 
mount  a  troop  nor  provide  forage  for  the  horses,  had  it 
been  possible  to  obtain  them,  Capt.  Suydam,  and  numbers 
of  his  company,  were  left  with  very  narrow  resources. 
They  were  represented  to  the  Convention  in  October  as 
being  in  a  destitute  condition,  and  that  body  accord- 
ingly voted  them  their  pay  as  if  in  actual  service. 

Whether  Capt.  Suydam,  on  account  of  his  familiarity 
with  the  island,  acted  as  a  spy  for  Washington,  or  whether 


^  For  a  report  of  his  service  on  the  island,  see  his  letter,  Document  XII. 


120 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


under  the  influence  of  his  adventurous  spirit,  he  visited  it 
for  the  gratification  of  meeting  his  family,  is  unknown ; 
but  he  more  than  once  performed  the  hazardous  exploit 
of  rowing  across  the  Sound  in  the  night,  and  stealing 
through  the  thickets  and  swamps  to  his  house  in  Bedford. 
Here  the  presence  of  a  number  of  British  soldiers,  who 
were  quartered  in  the  kitchen,  rendered  the  greatest 
caution  necessary;  but  the  answer  to  a  well  known  signal 
always  assured  him  of  danger  or  security,  as  he  approached 
the  low  window  by  which  he  was  admitted.  On  one  occa- 
sion he  was  in  imminent  hazard  of  detection  and  arrest. 
He  had  approached  the  house  with  his  usual  caution,  and 
was  enjoying  the  warm  greetings  of  his  family  with  a  zest 
enhanced  by  the  dangers  through  which  it  had  been 
purchased,  when  his  presence  was  suspected  by  some 
person,  who  communicated  the  intelligence  to  the  soldiers 
at  the  nearest  guard-house.  A  squad  of  the  enemy  soon 
encompassed  the  house,  and  a  guard  was  just  entering  the 
door,  when  the  earnest  entreaties  of  Mrs.  Suydam  over- 
came the  tender  hearted  sergeant,  and  a  pause  ensued,  while 
he  gave  such  orders  as  left  a  gap  in  the  enclosing  lines. 
Of  this  the  fugitive  speedily  availed  himself,  and  in  the 
darkness  was  soon  beyond  the  reach  of  pursuit.  The  quick 
arraignment,  the  speedy  trial,  the  ignominious  death  of  a 
spy  awaited  him,  and  the  morning  would  have  beheld  him 
suspended  from  one  of  the  trees  in  front  of  his  own  house. ^ 


^The  dangers  he  had  undergone  had  not,  however,  tamed  his  valiant 
spirit  to  that  degree  which  permitted  him  to  suffer  without  resentment  the 
indignities  and  outrages  daily  perpetrated  by  the  British  soldiers  on  his 
neighbors.  One  morning  an  unwonted  clamor  in  his  barnyard  aroused  the 
captain  from  his  slumbers,  and  creeping  to  the  window  of  his  bedroom,  he 
became  assured  in  a  short  time  that  the  marauders  were  at  some  nefarious 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  121 

After  nearly  a  year  spent  in  exile,  Capt.  Suydam  was 
permitted  to  return  home,  on  taking  the  oath  of  submission. 


work  among  his  cattle.  Tlie  dim  light  of  early  morning  was  rendered  still 
more  obscure  by  a  thin  fog,  which,  however,  did  not  prevent  him  from 
observing  unusual  objects  mo^dng  in  the  cattle-yard.  The  irate  trooper 
was  not  deterred  from  the  protection  of  his  property  by  the  hazard  of  his 
own  delicate  position  as  a  prisoner  on  parole,  for  there  was  little  disposition 
in  his  resolute  soul  to  submit  tamely  to  outrages  upon  his  person  or  his  goods. 
Reckless  of  the  consequences,  he  seized  his  musket,  already  loaded  with  a 
heavy  charge  of  buckshot,  and  fired  it  in  the  direction  of  the  sounds  which 
had  attracted  his  attention.  The  groans,  and  screams  of  agony,  which  ensued, 
suflBciently  indicated  the  effect  of  his  shot ;  and  when,  a  few  minutes  sub- 
sequently, the  morning  light  broke  through  the  mist,  it  was  discovered  that 
three  British  soldiers,  who  had  slaughtered  one  of  the  captain's  cows,  and 
were  then  engaged  in  removing  the  skin,  had  all  been  wounded  by  the 
shot.  As  soon  as  information  of  the  occurrence  reached  the  adjacent  camp, 
a  squad  of  soldiers  was  sent  to  carry  away  the  wounded  men,  one  of  whom 
soon  after  died.  No  notice  of  the  affair  was  ever  taken  by  the  British 
authorities,  nor  was  Capt.  Suydam  ever  molested.  There  was  always 
underlying  in  the  character  of  most  of  the  British  oflBcers,  when  its  influence 
was  not  deadened  by  the  paralyzing  effect  of  what  they  deemed  duty  to  the 
king,  a  great  liking  for  fair  play,  which  kept  them  silent  to  severe  measures 
taken  by  the  whigs  for  the  protection  of  their  property. 


16 


122 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER  lY. 

The  Invasion. 

The  siege  of  Boston  had  enclosed  the  British  army, 
intended  to  reduce  the  rebellious  colonies  to  submission,  • 
upon  a  narrow  peninsula ;  and,  beyond  the  range  of  cannon- 
shot  from  the  ships  of  war,  no  operations  for  that  purpose 
were  there  possible.  Lord  Howe,  and  his  brother  Gen. 
William  Howe,  trained  in  the  best  school  of  European 
warfare,  were  not  long  in  perceiving  that  even  a  victory 
upon  the  distant  coast-line  of  INTew  England,  would  not  be 
decisive  of  the  contest.  Indeed,  the  conquest  of  all  the 
Eastern  colonies,  then  insurgent,  would  only  be  cutting  off 
a  limb.  It  was  necessary  to  strike  at  the  vitals.  The 
occupation  of  I^ew  York,  and  the  command  of  the  Hudson, 
would  separate  the  spinal  column  of  the  confederacy,  and 
paralyze,  if  it  did  not  destroy,  its  vitality.  The  British 
army  now  occupied  a  territory  entirely  populated  by  its 
bitter  enemies,  while  unquestionable  intelligence  from 
l^ew  York  convinced  the  Howes  that  the  citizens  of 
that  colony  were  as  firmly  devoted  to  the  royal  interests. 
Every  inducement  which  policy  would  dictate,  as  well  as 
the  urgent  invitations  of  these  citizens,  combined,  there- 
fore, to  fix  them  in  their  purpose  to  change  their  base  of 
operations  thither.  The  plan  of  the  campaign,  adopted  by 
the  Admiral  and  the  General,  exhibited  at  once  military 
talent,  of  more  than  ordinary  excellence,  and  resources 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


123 


adequate  to  the  work  in  hand.  The  undisguised  loyalty  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Staten  Island,  and  the  exposure  of  almost 
its  entire  surface  to  the  sweep  of  the  guns  of  the  British 
fleet,  made  it  eminently  fit  for  the  rendezvous  of  the  great 
force  it  was  designed  to  assemble.  It  is  difficult  at  this 
day  to  account  for  the  removal,  by  Gen.  Howe,  of  all 
the  Boston  garrison  to  Halifax,  when  the  descent  upon 
Long  Island  had  been  determined  upon,  and  was  so  easy 
of  accomplishment.  It  was  made  a  subject  of  violent 
animadversion  by  the  British  writers  that  he  should  have 
compelled  the  heroic  troops,  who  had  so  long  endured  the 
bombardment  of  the  American  artillery  from  the  heights 
of  Roxbury  and  Dorchester,  with  the  confinement  and 
exhaustion  of  a  close  investment  in  the  crowded  streets  of 
Boston,  to  subject  themselves  to  the  enervating  voyages 
in  sailing  to  and  from  Halifax.  These  needless  sufferings 
they  were  compelled  to  undergo,  instead  of  recruiting  in 
the  genial  climate,  and  feasting  upon  the  abundant  re- 
sources, of  Long  Island.^  It  was  said  in  the  high  circles 
of  Grub  street,  and  echoed  on  the  floor  of  the  House  of 
Commons  that  "  the  fields  of  that  rich  island  were  thronged 
with  bounteous  supplies  of  vegetables  and  fruits,  so  that  the 
army,  encamped  in  tents,  or  hutted,  after  the  fashion  of  the 
rebels,  would  have  recruited  soon  enough  to  have  entered 
upon  the  campaign  early  in  the  season." 

But  before  the  view  of  General  Howe  seems  to  have 
always  risen  the  awful  vision  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  every 
military  movement  of  his  after  life  goes  to  prove  that  on 
that  scene  he  could  never  close  his  startled  eyes.    'No  pro- 

^  View  of  tlie  evidence  relative  to  the  conduct  of  the  American  war,  Lon- 
don, 1779.— Document  43. 


( 


124  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

mise  of  success  could  be  so  dazzling  as  to  overcome  his 
decision  never  to  risk  a  movement,  in  the  presence  of  his 
rebel  foes,  until  every  provision  had  been  exhausted  for 
making  it  secure,  which  his  prudence  anticipated,  and  his 
resources  supplied. 

On  the  11th  of  June,  1776,  the  fleet  which  had  borne  his 
troops  from  the  harbor  of  Boston  a  few  weeks  previously, 
sailed  from  HaUfax,  renewed  hopes,  and  recruited  strength, 
arming  the  forces  for  battle  even  more  than  their  vast  sup- 
ply of  munitions  of  war.  The  morning  of  the  twenty-ninth 
of  that  month  dawned  upon  the  fleet,  in  sight  of  Sandy 
Hook;  and  here  it  was  joined  by  Gen.  Howe  in  person, 
who  had  preceded  the  main  body  of  the  fleet  several  days, 
during  which  he  had  remained  on  board  his  vessel,  in 
consultation  with  Governor  Tryon.  The  gubernatorial 
functions  of  this  gentleman,  as  we  have  seen,  had,  by  the 
perversity  of  the  American  subjects  of  his  vice-royalty, 
been  confined  to  the  cabin  of  the  Asia  man-of-war. 

From  Gov.  Tryon,  Howe  ascertained  that  the  Ameri- 
cans had  obtained  information  of  his  designs  ;  as  their 
vigorous  preparations  for  resistance,  both  in  IS'ew  York 
and  on  Long  Island,  fully  exhibited.  From  the  testimony 
of  spies,  and  loyal  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  and  IS'ew  York, 
it  was  evident  that  in  the  interim  of  three  months,  since 
the  evacuation  of  Boston,  the  Americans  had  not  been 
idle.  The  sagacious  comprehension  of  Washington  had 
long  divined  the  direction  of  the  next  blow  of  the  enemy, 
and  all  his  powers  had  been  concentrated  to  shield  the 
threatened  point  from  its  deadly  force.  The  most  alarm- 
ing apprehensions  had  been  felt  that  the  fleet  would  sail 
at  once  into  the  East  River,  and  thus  enable  Gen.  Howe  to 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  125 

bivouac  bis  army  in  anotber  day  upon  Brooklyn  beigbts. 
To  guard  against  tbis  imminent  danger,  every  energy 
bad  been  bent  upon  tbe  obstruction  of  tbe  two  cbannels 
wbicb  communicated  witb  tbe  Bay.  Chevaux-de-Frise,  of 
sbarpened  timbers  projecting  from  vessels  firmly  ancbored, 
stretcbed  across  tbe  one  between  Governor's  Island  and  tbe 
Battery,  wbile  sunken  bulks  between  tbem  added  to  tbe 
difficulties  of  tbe  passage.  Heavy  batteries,  of  tbe  largest 
guns,  at  eitber  end  of  tbis  obstruction,  guarded  it  from  tbe 
approacb  of  tbe  enemy's  sbips;  wbile  tbe  otber  cbannel, 
between  Governor's  Island  and  tbe  Brooklyn  sbore,  in 
wbicb  also  vessels  bad  been  sunk,  was  swept  by  tbe 
plunging  fire  of  great  guns  on  tbe  beigbts  of  Brooklyn, 
and  by  tbe  bulling  sbot  from  tbe  water-batteries  of  Red 
book  and  Governor's  Island.  It  was  felt  by  all  tbat 
tbere  remained  scarcely  a  possibility  tbat  tbe  passage 
could  be  forced,  by  vessels  exposed  to  sucb  a  tornado  of 
sbot  and  sbell  as  would  be  burled  upon  tbem  in  tbe 
attempt. 

Happily  for  tbe  Americans,  tbis  opinion  concerning  tbe 
impassable  nature  of  tbe  obstructions  was  sbared  by  tbe 
Britisb  commanders.  It  is  a  difficult  problem  for  us  to 
solve,  bowever,  wby  tbe  attempt  was  not  made ;  nor  is  it 
easy  to  comprebend  tbe  grounds  of  tbe  apprebension 
entertained  by  tbe  Britisb,  since  tbe  obstacles  interposed 
appear  to  us  too  feeble  for  tbe  detention  of  sucb  a  powerful 
fleet  for  a  single  bour.  But,  from  tbe  sbores  of  Long  Island, 
on  tbe  29tb  of  June,  tbe  vast  fleet  of  tbe  invaders  was  des- 
cried entering  tbe  lower  barbor.  Tbere  was  no  longer 
room  for  doubt  regarding  its  destination;  and,  wbile  a 
thousand  bearts  palpitated  witb  quickened  motion  at  tbe 


126  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

approaching  peril,  thrice  the  number,  in  the  bosoms  of  the 
Island  inhabitants,  throbbed  with  joy  at  the  sight  of  the 
same  object,  which  to  them  promised  rescue  from  a  galling 
usurpation.  The  fleet  was  not  long  without  indications  of 
the  hostile  feelings  with  which  it  was  regarded  by  the  one 
party,  or  of  the  friendly  sentiments  of  the  other. 

An  incident,  which  exhibited  to  Gen.  Howe  the  fierce 
earnestness  with  which  the  Americans  had  entered  upon 
the  contest,  occurred  on  the  29th  of  June,  while  the  fleet 
was  making  the  mouth  of  the  harbor.  An  armed  Ame- 
rican vessel  was  discovered  near  Cape  May,  and  pursuit 
of  her,  by  the  tenders  and  boats,  was  at  once  ordered. 
The  vessel  proved  to  be  the  brig  Nancy,  armed  with  six 
three-pounders,  and  loaded  with  the  spoils  of  'New  Provi- 
dence, gunpowder,  firelocks,  sugar  and  rum.  The  pre- 
sence of  six  men-of-war,  with  numbers  of  armed  tenders, 
determined  her  commander  in  the  resolution  to  beach  his 
vessel,  and  save  what  he  could  of  her  cargo.  Under  cover 
of  a  heavy  fog,  the  brig  was  run  ashore ;  but,  while  much 
of  the  gunpowder  remained  on  board,  the  fog  lifted,  and 
the  fleet  was  observed  at  a  short  distance,  with  the  men-of- 
war  boats  preparing  to  board  her.  A  train  was  laid  to  the 
magazine;  the  mainsail  was  rolled  on  deck,  with  powder  in 
its  folds,  and  fired.  The  British  seamen  boarded  their  prize 
with  three  cheers,  which  had  scarcely  announced  their 
success  to  their  comrades  in  the  fleet,  when  the  deck  of 
the  brig  rose  with  a  loud  explosion,  and  the  horrible 
spectacle  was  exhibited  of  thirty  or  forty  human  beings 
torn  and  crushed  to  death  in  an  instant. 


^American  Archives,  i,  fifth  series,  p.  14. 


r 

INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  127 

On  the  fourth  of  July,  as  if  to  celebrate  the  great  event 
which  was  then  occurring  in  Philadelphia,  a  number  of 
hardy  Americans  constructed  a  battery,  mounting  at  most 
no  more  than  two  or  three  twelve-pounders,  at  the  ]:^?'arrows, 
near  Denyse's  ferry-landing.  During  the  day,  they  opened 
fire  upon  the  Asia,  which  was  sailing  close  to  shore,  in  the 
rear  of  the  fleet.  As  if  stung  by  the  audacity  of  this  assault, 
the  great  ship  wore  heavily  around,  and  sent  a  broadside  of 
forty  twenty-four  pound  shot  upon  the  shore.  One  of  the 
accounts  of  occurrences  of  the  day,  published  in  a  Phila- 
delphia newspaper,  says  :  "  One  of  the  balls  lodged  in  the 
wall  of  Mr.  Bennett's  house  without  penetrating  it.  The 
house  of  Denyse  Denyse  narrowly  escaped  demolition, 
from  the  storm  of  cannon  shot  which  swept  around  it. 
One  passed  close  tp  the  kitchen,  in  which  the  family  were 
assembled,  another  struck  the  barn  at  a  short  distance, 
and  a  third  carried  away  a  large  portion  of  the  garden 
fence,  close  to  the  back  door  of  the  house."  The  battery 
continued  its  discharges,  until  one  of  its  shot  hulled  the 
Asia,  killing,  it  is  said,  four  men  and  a  boy.^  Thus,  the 
first  resistance  made  to  the  British  forces  in  the  colony  of 
i^ew  York,  was  on  the  fourth  of  July,  from  the  ground  on 
which  Fort  Hamilton  is  built,  and  while  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  was  receiving  the  signatures  of  the  fifty- 
six  immortal  representatives  who  framed  it.^ 

Gen.  Howe  gave  indications  of  an  intention  to  attack  the 
American  lines  as  early  as  the  7th  of  July,  immediately 


^  Reported  by  one  Abram  Van  Dugan,  then  a  prisoner  on  board  the  Asia, 
"  I  had  determined  to  disembark  the  army  at  Gravesend  bay  in  Long 
Island,  and  with  this  intention,  the  fleet  moved  up  the  bay  on  the  1st 
instant  in  the  evening,  in  order  to  land  "the  troops  at  the  break  of  day  next 
morning ;  but  being  more  particularly  informed  during  the  night  of  a  strong 


128  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

after  his  fleet  had  anchored.  His  letter  to  Lord  Germaine, 
announcing  his  arrival,  furnishes  such  proofs  of  the  con- 
stant transmission  of  intelligence  to  him  by  his  spies,  and 
of  the  uncertainty  of  his  mind,  that  it  will  repay  perusal. 
On  the  1st  of  July,  orders  had  been  issued  for  the  disem- 
barkation of  the  troops  at  Gravesend  bay,  early  the  next 
morning ;  but  the  arrival  of  some  spies  during  the  night, 
with  a  description  of  the  strong  American  entrenchments, 
caused  him  to  countermand  the  orders. 

The  fleet  assembled  in  the  lower  bay  was  that  which 
had  borne  the  besieged  forces  of  Great  Britain  from  Bos- 
ton to  Halifax,  and  now  contained  nine  thousand  veteran 
soldiers ;  who  were,  on  the  ninth  of  July,  landed  on  the 
shore  of  Staten  Island.  The  landing  of  the  troops  was 
effected  by  the  aid  of  more  than  twenty  of  the  large  hay- 
boats,  which  had  escaped  Captain  Benjamin  Birdsall's 
raid.  As  soon  as  the  fleet  had  anchored,  these  came  out 
of  the  creeks  and  the  little  bays  which  intersected  the 
Long  Island  shore,  and  were  of  great  service  in  supplying 
the  British  vessels  with  fresh  provisions,  and  in  transport- 
ing the  troops  to  Staten  Island.  The  strongest  assurances 
were  given  to  the  Howes  of  the  fervent  loyalty  of  the  great 
mass  of  the  inhabitants  of  Long  Island  ;  and  this  till  now 
subdued  attachment  to  the  crown  was  relied  upon  as  one 
of  the  chief  auxiliaries  that  would  aid  to  make  success  a 
certainty. 

post  upon  a  ridge  of  craggy  heights  covered  vrith  wood  that  lay  in  the  route 
the  army  must  have  taken,  only  two  miles  distant  from  the  enemy's  works, 

and  seven  from  Gravesend  I  declined  the  undertaking." 

Ge?i.  Hoice  to  Lord  Germaine. 
July  7th,  1776. 

See  the  entire  letter  in  Document*  8. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


129 


In  a  few  days  another  fleet,  repulsed  from  the  siege  of 
Charleston,  bore  the  remnant  of  the  forces  under  Sir 
Henry  Clinton  and  Sir  Peter  Parker  into  the  harbor. 
The  shattered  masts  and  the  pierced  hulls  of  Sir  Peter's 
squadron,  testified  to  the  fierce  resistance  they  had  encoun- 
tered from  the  guns  of  Fort  Moultrie.  Two  fifty-gun 
ships,  five  frigates  of  twenty-eight,  one  of  twenty-six,  and 
two  sloops  of  eight  guns  each,  had  expended,  in  two  hours 
fighting,  thirty-four  thousand  pounds  of  powder,  and  more 
than  fifty  tons  of  shot;  by  which  they  had  killed  and 
wounded  of  the  Americans  thirty-six  men,  having  in  the 
same  time  lost  one  hundred  and  seventy  men,  and  one 
of  the  twenty-eight  gun  frigates.  It  was  under  such  dis- 
heartening influences  that  the  Admiral  brought  his  fleet, 
of  nine  vessels  of  war  and  thirty-five  transports,  carrying 
Sir  Henry  Clinton's  force  of  three  thousand  men,  into  the 
harbor  of  JSTew  York.^ 

From  this  period,  every  day  witnessed  the  arrival  of 
reinforcements,  gathered,  by  the  order  of  the  king  of  Great 
Britain,  from  every  quarter  of  the  globe.  The  fleet  which 
had  hovered  oflP  the  coast  of  Florida,  the  vessels  which 
had  thronged  the  harbor  of  Jamaica,  directed  their  course, 
as  by  some  vast  magnetic  attraction,  towards  the  low  shores 
of  Long  Island.  From  the  hills  of  Brooklyn,  the  anxious 
gazer  could  one  day  descry  a  fleet  of  tall  ships  from  the 
Mediterranean,  standing  up  the  Avide  estuary  of  IsTew  York 
bay;  and  the  morning  of  the  next  would  dawn  upon  another, 
from  the  British  channel,  convoying  a  hundred  transport 
ships  to  the  same  port.    On  the  twelfth  of  August  arrived 


^  Moultrie's  Memoirs  American  Revolution  ;  Drayton's  do. 
17 


130  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  last  division  of  the  great  fleet  of  the  invaders.  Six 
men-of-war,  and  eighty  two  transport-ships,  bearing  seven 
thousand  eight  hundred  Hessian  mercenaries,  and  one 
thousand  EngUsh  Guards,  who  had  been  driven  about  upon 
the  face  of  the  deep  for  thirteen  weeks,  entered  the  harbor 
on  this  day,  and  anchored  below  the  E'arrows.  The  com- 
mander of  the  foreign  troops  was  General  De  Heister ;  an 
old  man,  worn  out  with  half  a  century  of  military  service, 
but  a  personal  friend  of  the  landgrave  of  Hesse  Cassel,  at 
whose  earnest  entreaty  he  had  consented  to  accept  the 
command.^ 

Although  nearly  all  the  cattle  had  been  swept  from  the 
rich  farms  of  Staten  Island  a  month  before,  by  Col.  Heard, 
it  still  seemed  like  a  paradise  to  the  troops  after  their  terri- 
ble voyage.    The  light-armed  Highlander,  and  the  cum- 


^ "  The  passage  had  been  very  tedious,  for  calms,  contrary  winds,  and  cur- 
rents, drove  the  fleet  in  such  adverse  directions  as  baffled  every  reckoning, 
though  kept  by  the  ablest  artists.  The  old  General  De  Heister,  who  was 
embarked  on  board  of  a  merchant  ship,  exhausted  his  whole  stock  of  tobacco 
and  patience  together.  He  wrote  a  letter,  couched  in  terms  of  grief,  impa- 
tience and  despair.  '  I  have  been  imposed  upon  and  deceived,'  said  the  old 
veteran,  '  for  I  was  assured  the  voyage  would  not  exceed  six  or  seven  weeks — 
it  is  now  more  than  fourteen  since  I  embarked,  and  full  three  months  since 
I  left  England,  yet  I  see  no  more  prospect  of  landing,  than  I  did  a  week 
after  our  sailing.  I  am  an  old  man  covered  with  wounds,  and  imbecilitated 
by  age  and  fatigue,  and  it  is  impossible  I  should  survive  if  the  voyage  con- 
tinues much  longer.' 

Sir  George  Collier  went  on  board  the  transport,  to  visit  and  comfort  the 
old  general ;  and  to  do  it  more  effectually  than  by  w^ords,  he  carried  with 
him  refreshments,  fresh  proAdsions,  etc.,  but,  above  all,  plenty  of  tobacco, 
which  he  learned  was  one  principal  cause  of  the  veteran's  dejection.  This, 
and  an  assurance  that  the  voyage  would  now  soon  terminate,  raised  the  old 
German's  spirits  very  effectually.  He  ordered  his  band  of  music  to  play- 
he  called  for  old  Hock,  and  swallowed  large  potations  to  the  health  of  the 
king  of  England,  the  landgrave,  and  many  other  friends,  and  Sir  George  left 
him  perfectly  exhilarated  and  happy."— iV^ai^aZ  Chronicle,  1814,  article.  Detail 
of  some  particular  services  of  Sir  George  Collier  in  Atnerica,  by  George  Rainer. 
Document  35. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


131 


brously  equipped  Hessian,  overburdened  with  the  weight 
of  his  own  weapons,  leaped  joyously  upon  the  shore,  and 
looked  forward  to  a  brief  campaign,  which  would  fill  their 
knapsacks  with  booty,  and  their  stomachs  with  unac- 
customed luxuries.  Twenty-seven  thousand  men^  landed 
from  the  transports,  and  bivouacked  in  sight  of  the  doomed 
city,  which  they  were  rejoicing  in  the  anticipation  of  sack- 
ing. Eleven  thousand  of  these  were  Hessian  and  Wal- 
deckian  troops.  The  British  army  was  received  with  the 
wildest  demonstrations  of  joy  by  the  inhabitants;  and  the 
deputations  of  loyalists  from  Long  Island  were  not  behind 
in  expressions  of  their  profound  gratification  at  the  pre- 
sence of  the  vast  force,  which  incontestibly  guarantied  the 
permanence  of  the  royal  government  in  America.^ 

Most  of  the  troops  were  disembarked  immediately  on 
their  arrival;  the  Hessians  forming  a  separate  camp  on  the 
shore  of  Eill  Van  Kull,  where,  with  abundant  supplies  of 
fresh  provisions,  they  soon  recovered  from  the  fatigues  of 
their  voyage.  They  were  not  permitted,  however,  to 
enjoy  an  undisturbed  repose.  The  American  riflemen 
thronged  the  opposite  shore  of  I^ew  Jersey,^  with  eager 
curiosity  to  learn  something  of  these  foreign  soldiers,  of 
whose  dreadful  ferocity  and  barbarous  warfare  the  wildest 
stories  had  been  reported.    Unfortunately  for  the  simple 


^In  Enighfs  Pictorial  History  of  England  the  number  of  English  and 
foreign  troops  is  said  to  be  nearly  thirty  thousand.    Document  41. 

Elking  says,  "  General  Howe  had  at  this  time  thirty-five  thousand  active 
troops  at  his  disposal." — Ilist.  of  German  Auxiliaries  in  America.  Docu- 
ment 40. 

"  Marshall's  Life  of  WasJiington.    Quarto  edition,  ii,  410. 

^The  Journal  of  a  Hessian  officer  says:  "The  Americans  could  be  seen 
across  the  water,  stretching  out  their  long  necks  to  see  what  sort  of  people 
we  were."    Document  40. 


132  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

and  credulous  Germans,  curiosity  did  not  long  keep  the 
American  sharpshooters  idle;  for  an  occasional  puff  of 
smoke  from  a  clump  of  bushes  far  across  the  Kill,  and  the 
immediately  succeeding  fall  of  one  of  the  Hessian  sen- 
tinels on  the  shore,  warned  them  that  these  curious 
spectators  were  active  enemies.  To  the  astonishment  of 
the  auxiliaries,  they  learned  that  even  the  broad  strait  be- 
tween them  and  their  foe  was  not  sufficient  to  protect  their 
encampment;  and  it  was  only  by  sweeping  the  Jersey 
shore  with  cannon  and  grape-shot,  that  this  was  rendered 
safe.  While  the  troops  were  recruiting,  Gen.  Howe  was 
engaged  in  forming  his  plan  of  the  campaign,  and  in 
selecting  and  arranging  his  forces  for  the  first  blow,  which 
he  was  determined  should  be  overwhelming.^ 

The  commanders  of  the  fleet  and  army  had  been  selected 
by  the  king  himself ;  and  his  choice  had  been  approved  by 
statesmen  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  great  exigencies 
of  the  campaign,  and  with  the  talents  of  the  persons  so 
highly  honored. 

The  history  of  combined  expeditions  had  hitherto  been 
usually  one  of  misfortune,  if  not  of  criminality,  as  the  jea- 
lousy, which  seldom  slumbered  between  the  land  and  naval 
forces,  exerted  its  malignant  influence  upon  the  respective 
commanders.  But  this  danger,  it  was  believed,  and  experi- 
ence proved,  was  effectually  guarded  against  by  the  ap- 


^  The  loyalists  who  reached  Howe's  camp,  were  at  tWs  time  formed  into 
two  companies,  styled  New  York  Pro\dncials.  "  A  negro  belonging  to  one 
Strickler  at  Gravesend  was  taken  prisoner  (as  lie  says)  last  Sunday  at  Coney 
Island  (by  the  British).  Yesterday  he  made  his  escape,  and  was  taken  pri- 
soner by  our  rifle  guard.  He  reports  eight  hundred  negroes  collected  on 
Staten  Island  this  day  to  be  formed  into  regiments." —  Gen.  Greene  to  Wash- 
ington, July  21st. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  133 

pointment  of  Admiral  Lord  Richard  Howe,  and  his  brother 
General  William  Howe.  They  had  both  given  proof  of 
their  valor  and  skill,  on  the  ocean  and  on  the  battle-field. 
Yet  their  fraternal  afiection,  and  their  common  courage, 
were  the  only  points  of  similarity  in  their  characters. 

The  elder  brother  Richard,  Admiral  and  Viscount,  was  a 
grave,  proud  man,  animated  by  a  noble  ambition,  that  was 
modified  by  a  humane  and  generous  spirit.    In  his  devotion 
to  the  king,  he  held  the  rebellious  Americans  in  profound 
abhorrence ;  yet  his  intercourse  with  them  w^as  character- 
ized by  a  forbearance  and  gentleness  which  had  the  seeming 
of  inconsistency  to  those  who  did  not  justly  estimate  the 
mingled  sentiments  which  animated  a  royalist,  jealous  of 
the  honor  of  his  king,  and  a  nobleman,  sensitive  to  appeals 
to  his  justice  and  his  humanity.    The  proud  reserve  of  his 
manner,  towards  those  of  an  inferior  rank,  did  not  always 
extend  to  those  with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  friendship. 
He  had  lived  in  the  most  cordial  intimacy  with  Dr.  Franklin ; 
and  he  had  received  a  letter  from  him,  on  the  30th  ult.,  con- 
taining the  bitterest  expression  of  sentiments  hostile  to  the 
BTitish  government,  and  insulting  to  himself,  with  the 
mild  remark :    "  My  old  friend  expresses  himself  very 
warmly."    At  the  interview  with  Col.  Palfrey  on  board 
his  flag-ship,  he  spoke  of  General  Washington  with  the 
highest  respect;  giving  him,  in  conversation,  his  military 
title,  although  he  could  not,  as  his  majesty's  ofl&cer, 
address  him  by  it  in  his  communications.    He  spoke  of 
the  revolted  colonies  as  States  ;  and  referred  to  the  resolu- 
tions of  Congress  which  honored  the  memory  of  his 
brother,  who  had  fallen  eighteen  years  before  at  Ticon- 
deroga,  with  expressions  of  sentiments  of  the  greatest 


134  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

regard  for  this  testimony  to  tlie  memory  of  a  member  of 
his  family.  On  parting  with  the  Colonel,  he  desired  him 
to  present  his  compliments  to  General  Washington ;  and 
when  speaking  of  the  brother  who  had  fallen  in  defense 
of  the  colonists,  whom  his  lordship  had  come  to  meet  as 
an  enemy.  Col.  Palfrey  observed  that  he  was  so  much 
affected  that  tears  came  to  his  eyes.^ 

Such  was  the  man  who  commanded  the  great  armada 
which  now  made  the  harbor  of  ITew  York  seem  a  forest  of 
masts.  Had  he  never  appeared  as  an  enemy  of  the  re- 
public, his  name  would  have  been  received  by  its  citizens 
with  tokens  of  honor  and  admiration,  for  the  dignity, 
moderation,  and  humanity  of  his  mind.  As  a  generous 
enemy,  a  faithful  subject  of  his  king,  and  a  Christian 
gentleman,  let  us  do  him  honor. 

Widely  different,  in  many  respects,  was  the  character  of 
his  brother,  the  Chevalier  as  he  was  termed,  who  had 
acquired  distinctions  by  his  service  on  the  battle-field, 
nearly  equal  to  those  which  his  Lordship  had  obtained  upon 
the  ocean.  His  reputation  for  experience  in  the  art  of  war, 
and  for  ability  as  a  soldier,  was  equal  to  that  of  any  General 
in  the  British  service.  He  had  maintained  the  honor  of 
the  British  flag  on  more  than  one  battle  field  of  America, 
during  the  French  war  of  1756.  But  while  Admiral  Howe 
was  remarkable  for  sobriety  and  abstemiousness,  the  Gene- 
ral was  noted  for  self-indulgence  and  sensuality.  The 
former  was  haughty  and  reserved,  even  to  his  friends; 
the  latter  was  familiar  and  affable,  even  to  those  whom  he 
held  in  contempt.    The  life  of  the  Yiscount  was  pure  and 


^  Sparks' s  Life  of  Washington. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


135 


honorable,  while  that  of  the  General  was  largely  spent  in 
gaming  and  debauchery.  The  ambition  of  Admiral  Howe 
kept  him  active  and  watchful ;  that  of  his  brother  was  sub- 
ject to  intermissions,  during  which  wantonness  and  sloth 
neutralized  the  efforts  of  his  genius. 

He  had  acquired  his  high  position  of  Commander-in-chief 
of  the  army  in  America,  not  entirely  from  his  reputation 
for  military  ability,  but  also  through  the  personal  favor  of 
the  king,  to  whom  his  features  bore  such  an  extraordinary 
resemblance  as  to  give  color  to  the  popular  scandal  of 
their  common  paternity.  With  the  tactical  talent  of  a 
skilful  general,  he  combined  the  feeble  results  of  a  timid 
and  unpracticed  soldier.  His  ambition  spurred  him  to 
exercise  an  intellect  capable  of  great  military  invention, 
and  of  splendid  combinations ;  but  his  sensuality  lulled  him 
into  indolence,  at  the  very  moment  when  his  schemes  pro- 
mised to  ripen  into  success.  He  prepared  the  plans  of  his 
campaigns  with  elaborate  care,  and  shrewd  foresight ;  but 
he  lost  his  interest  in  their  realization  the  instant  their  suc- 
cess appeared  probable;  and  he  abandoned  their  final 
execution  with  the  most  reckless  unconcern  at  the  very 
moment  of  their  culmination,  when  exertion  was  most 
necessary  to  their  accomplishment.  He  was  accompanied 
on  this  occasion,  it  is  charged,  by  his  mistress,  Mrs.  Loring, 
the  wife  of  a  resident  of  Boston  whose  complaisance  had 
been  purchased  with  an  office,  the  emoluments  of  which 
were  rated  at  thirty  thousand  dollars  per  annum.^  The 
gaming  table  found  Gen.  Howe  and  his  paramour  in 


^  View  of  the  Conduct  of  the  War  in  America.  8vo,  London,  1777.  Docu- 
ment 43. 


136  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

almost  nightly  attendance ;  and  the  latter  was  asserted,  by 
the  writers  of  letters  from  the  camp,  to  have  lost  three 
hundred  guineas  at  a  single  sitting.  The  foibles  and  the 
vices  of  the  Commander  did  not,  however,  destroy  the 
affection  and  esteem  of  his  army;  for  his  affability  and 
kindness  of  manner  won  for  him  the  first,  while  his  ability 
and  courage  secured  to  him  the  other. 

Such  were  the  men,  who  wielded  the  power  of  the 
armies  of  Great  Britain,  and  her  German  auxiliaries,  in 
America. 

Having  thus  minutely  traced  the  steps  by  which  the 
great  invading  force  had  been  brought  to  our  shores,  and 
the  measures  by  which  the  revolutionary  authorities  had 
sought  to  stifle  where  they  could  not  destroy  the  affection 
for  royalty  among  the  colonists  of  Long  Island,  it  is  time  to 
notice  the  preparations  of  these  authorities  for  the  defense 
of  their  new  Government. 

Suffolk  county  had  early  given  evidence  of  its  hearty 
zeal  for  the  republican  doctrines.  Out  of  its  whole  popu- 
lation of  freeholders  and  adult  male  inhabitants,  number- 
ing two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-four,  between 
the  ages  of  sixteen  and  sixty,  only  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  were  reckoned  as  being  of  loyalist  proclivities.  The 
enrolled  militia  of  the  county  exceeded  two  thousand ; 
of  whom  three  hundred  and  ninety-three  officers  and 
privates  were  in  the  ranks  of  Col.  Smith's  regiment,  the 
best  disciplined  and  armed  on  the  island.  It  was  the  only 
one  which  could  be  considered  in  any  form  to  have  sur- 
vived the  shock  of  the  27th  of  August ;  and  only  a  small 
part,  even  of  this  body,  ever  did  service  after  that  fatal 
day.    In  Queens  county,  as  we  have  seen,  the  whole  force 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  137 

of  the  whigs  whicli  could  be  mustered  under  arms  was 
insufficient  to  overawe  their  loyalist  neighbors.  Seven- 
teen hundred  and  seventy  able  bodied  men  among  her 
citizens  were  enrolled  on  the  roster  of  her  militia ;  while 
only  three  hundred  and  seventy-nine  were,  by  the  most 
stringent  measures,  induced  to  appear  in  arms.^ 

In  Kings  county  six  companies  of  militia  were  organized, 
but  with  what  numerical  strength  we  have  no  means  of 
learning.  From  many  suggestive  circumstances,  however, 
the  conviction  is  forced  upon  us  that  the  ranks  must  have 
been  very  thin,  and  the  companies  scarcely  more  than 
skeleton  organizations.  Two  companies  of  volunteer 
cavalry  had  been  formed,  as  already  narrated,  which  were 
frequently  employed  on  patrol  and  guard  duty,  in  which 
they  proved  of  some  service. 

On  the  27th  of  June,  Col.  Van  Brunt,  of  !N'ew  Utrecht, 
had  delivered  fifty-eight  men,  under  the  command  of  Cap- 
tain Jaques  Eapalye,  to  the  provincial  Congress  of  New 
York,  as  the  quota  of  Kings  county  under  the  last  draft. 

Early  in  March,  the  regiment  of  Col.  Ward,  numbering 
five  hundred  and  nineteen  men,  was  engaged,  under  the 
direction  of  Gen.  Greene  as  engineer,  in  forming  a  line  of 
defenses  to  protect  the  shore  of  the  East  River  from  ap- 
proach by  land.  On  the  thirteenth  of  that  month.  Lord 
Stirling  issued  orders  that  all  the  male  inhabitants  of 
Kings  county,  both  white  and  black,  should  perform 

*This  is  tlie  number,  for  whom  Col.  Sands  received  bounty  money, 
amounting  to  £617  14«.  M.  The  demand  for  that  sum  would  not,  however, 
be  deemed  at  this  day  conclusive  evidence  of  the  actual  service  of  even  that 
small  number.  For  evidence  of  the  vastly  different  spirit  in  which  the 
requisition  of  Gov.  Tryon  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Island  to  appear  in  arms 
was  received,  see  his  letter,  in  appendix  2. 
18 


233  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

fatigue  duty  on  the  entrenchments,  one-half  being  re- 
quired to  labor  thereon  each  alternate  day.  The  fortifi- 
cations, and  works  of  defense,  were  now  driven  forward 
with  the  greatest  celerity  which  the  means  of  the  Ameri- 
cans allowed.  Royalist  and  whig  toiled  side  by  side; 
compelled,  by  the  stringency  of  military  rule,  to  appear 
with  the  implements  they  employed  in  the  peaceful  labors 
of  agriculture.  The  lines  which  defended  the  peninsula, 
upon  which  the  two  villages  of  Brooklyn-church  and 
Brooklyn-ferry  were  erected,  were,  however,  more  im- 
posing in  appearance,  than  formidable  for  resistance. 

In  consequence  of  the  deep  indenture  of  the  land,  by 
Gowanus  creek  and  the  mill-ponds  connected  with  it  on 
the  south,  and  by  Wallabout  bay  and  Remsen's  mill-pond, 
then  covering  the  site  of  City  Park,  on  the  north, — a  water 
front  of  more  than  three  miles  was  guarded  by  a  line  of 
entrenchments  less  than  a  mile  and  a  half  in  extent.  The 
low  ground  on  the  Wallabout  was  defended  by  a  wide 
ditch,  filled  by  the  tide,  the  channel  having  been  exca- 
vated from  the  head  of  Wallabout  creek,  near  the  junc- 
tion of  Raymond  and  Tillary  streets,  to  the  foot  of  the 
heights,  near  Bolivar  street.  Its  course  followed  the  low 
ground  between  Raymond  and  'Nslvj  streets,  through 
which  the  water  falling  on  the  adjacent  hills  was  drained.^ 
The  earth  from  the  ditch  was  formed  into  a  breastwork, 
/raised  with  sharp  stakes,  set  firmly  into  the  bank,  cross- 
ing each  other,  and  projecting  forward  at  an  angle  which 
would  bring  their  points  to  the  level  of  the  breast  of  the 
assailant.    From  the  east  end  of  the  ditch,  a  breastwork. 


^Manuscript  Recollections  of  Gen.  Johnson. 


If- 

INTRODUCTOKY  NARRATIVE.  139 

similarly  defended,  led  up  the  face  of  the  hill  to  Fort 
Putnam,  on  the  site  of  Washington  Park.  The  strong 
redoubt  known  by  this  name,  was  an  earthwork,  defended 
by  a  ditch,  and  a  broad  area  of  abatis  in  front,  formed  of 
the  tall  forest  trees  which,  until  that  time,  had  covered 
the  site.  The  woods  had  extended  down  the  slope,  as  far 
as  the  present  junction  of  Clinton  and  Flatbush  avenues 
on  the  west,  and  almost  to  the  Jamaica  road  on  the  south; 
but  they  were  now  felled,  over  many  acres,  with  their 
tops  pointing  outwards,  and  presented  a  tangled  mass  of 
sharpened  branches,  interwoven  with  the  brushwood,  that 
rendered  the  passage  of  a  body  of  troops  nearly  impossible. 

Fort  Putnam  mounted  five  heavy  guns,  and  occupied  a 
height  extending  south  of  De  Kalb  avenue,  commanding 
the  Wallabout  bridge  road.  Fort  Greene  lane,  and  most 
of  the  low  ground  in  front  as  far  as  Grand  avenue.  It 
was,  however,  unfortunately  overlooked  by  an  eminence, 
distant  about  six  hundred  yards  to  the  south-east,  near  the 
crossing  of  Clinton  and  De  Kalb  avenues;  and  the  import- 
ance of  this  superiority  was  not  overlooked  by  the  British. 
This  hill  was  too  far  from  the  defensible  line,  to  be  occu- 
pied as  an  exterior  redoubt,  or  to  be  included  within  the 
entrenchments.^ 

From  Fort  Putnam  the  earthworks  extended,  in  a  zig- 
zag line,  across  the  high  ground  near  Bond  street  and 
Fulton  avenue,  to  Fort  Greene,  situated  on  the  land  of 
Johannes  De  Bevoise  and  Van  Brunt,  near  the  brow  of  the 
hill  at  the  intersection  of  i^Tevins  and  Dean  streets,  and 


^  It  is  probable  also  that  its  superior  eminence  was  not  discovered  until 
the  woods  which  intervened  had  been  felled  for  the  line  of  abatis. 


140  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

nearly  equidistant  from  Freeke's  mill  pond  and  Fort 
Putnam. 

Half  way  between  Forts  Greene  and  Putnam,  on  the 
land  of  John  Jackson,  near  the  crossing  of  De  Bevoise 
street  and  De  Kalb  avenue,  a  small  redoubt  was  con- 
structed to  defend  a  salient  angle  in  the  lines.  The  star- 
forts,  Putnam  and  Greene,  projected  far  enough  beyond 
the  lines  to  defend  them,  by  sweeping  the  whole  length 
of  the  ditch  between  with  the  fire  of  their  guns.  The 
trunks  of  the  heavy  native  forest  trees,  which  had  been 
felled  to  form  the  abatis,  had  been  split  into  stakes, 
which  now  faced  the  embankments  of  the  redoubts,  and 
the  ditches,  with  fraise-work.  Detachments  of  the  militia, 
and  the  fatigue  parties,  were  also  employed  in  cutting  alder 
saplings  from  the  adjacent  bogs,  and  in  hauling  them  to  the 
entrenchments,  to  be  used  for  the  same  purpose.^ 

Although  the  pickets  and  stakes  were  furnished  gratu- 
itously, in  most  cases,  by  the  farmers  of  Brooklyn,  on  whose 
land  the  wood  had  grown,  yet  there  were  not  wanting 
instances  of  the  presentation  of  claims  for  remuneration 
after  the  peace ;  and  these  thrifty  patriots  were  paid  for 
supplying  the  means  for  defending  their  own  homes. 
Congress  had  requested  the  Kings  county  committee  of 
safety  to  supply  Col.  "Ward  with  brush  for  fascines  and 
wood  for  pickets,  and  with  other  timber  to  be  used  in 
the  works  around  Brooklyn ;  and  for  this  material,  there 


^  The  recent  discovery  in  Brunswick  of  a  minute  and  accurate  map  of  tlie 
American  lines,  and  of  tlie  position  of  the  British  forces,  drawn  by  a  Hessian 
officer,  is  very  opportune  for  the  elucidation  of  many  points  hitherto  doubt- 
ful in  the  history  of  events  connected  with  the  defense  of  Brooklyn.  The 
original  is  in  the  possession  of  the  writer ;  and  the  fac-simile,  presented  in 
this  volume,  will  be  found  worthy  of  study. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  141 

were  some  of  its  citizens  mercenary  enough  to  demand 
and  receive  compensation. 

South  of  Freeke's  mill-pond,  on  a  low  sand  hill  over- 
looking the  passage  between  Freeke's  and  Denton's  mill 
ponds, — where  the  Porte  road,  after  crossing  the  dam  of  the 
former  to  the  west  side  of  the  pond,  formed  a  curve  of 
nearly  half  the  circumference  of  the  knoll, —  a  redoubt, 
mounting  four  guns,  had  been  constructed  to  command 
the  crossing.  This  hill,  after  the  destruction  of  the 
redoubt  by  the  British  had  rendered  the  site  of  the  forti- 
fication doubtful,  was  known  as  Fort  Boerum ;  but  at  this 
period  it  was  called  Fort  Box,  in  honor,  probably,  of  Major 
Box,  the  ofiicer  who  commanded  at  that  part  of  the  lines.^ 

The  fifth  and  last  in  the  chain  of  redoubts  was  the  earth- 
work called  Fort  Defiance,  on  Red  Hook,  the  guns  of  which, 
as  will  be  narrated,  offered  a  stout  resistance  to  the  passage 
of  the  British  frigate.  Roebuck,  during  the  progress  of  the 
battle.  It  mounted  en  barbette  four  eighteen-pounders,  and 
was  expected  to  prove  a  formidable  obstacle  to  the  passage 
of  the  British  fleet  up  the  East  River. 

Red  Hook  had  early  been  deemed  an  important  point  of 
resistance ;  and  on  the  fifteenth  of  April,  a  regiment  of 
troops  had  been  sent  from  isTew  York  to  construct  a  redoubt 
upon  it.  In  the  Journal  of  Samuel  Shaw  an  account  of 
this  redoubt  is  contained,  not  devoid  of  interest  to  us  ; 

"June  11, 1776.  I  am  now  stationed  at  Red  Hook,  about 
four  miles  from  I^ew  York.  It  is  an  island  ^  situated  so  as 
to  command  the  entrance  of  the  harbor  entirely,  where  we 

^Mr.  Lossing  placed  tliis  fort  too  far  south,  at  the  junction  of  Hoyt  and 
Carroll. 

"  The  peninsula  was.  an  island  at  high  water. 


142  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

have  a  fort  witli  four  eighteen-pounders  to  fire  en  harhette, 
that  is  over  the  top  of  the  works,  which  is  vastly  better 
than  firing  through  embrasures,  as  we  can  now  bring  all 
our  guns  to  bear  on  the  same  object  at  once.  The  fort  is 
named  Fort  Defiance.  Should  the  enemy's  fleet  make  an 
attempt,  they  will,  I  think,  be  annoyed  by  it  exceedingly. 
It  is  thought  to  be  one  of  the  most  important  posts  we  have. 
There  are  two  families  here  —  Mr.  Vandyke,  and  his  son, 
good  staunch  whigs,  and  very  clever  folks — between  whom 
and  our  people  a  very  agreeable  intercourse  subsists.  I  rode 
out  with  the  young  man  about  a  week  ago  to  a  place  called 
Flushing,  on  Long  Island,  sixteen  miles  off,  where,  and  in 
most  of  the  country  towns  round  about,  the  tories  from  the 
city  have  taken  shelter.  It  is  almost  incredible  how  many  of 
these  vermin  there  are.  Scarce  a  house  we  rode  by,  but  Mr. 
Vandyke  would  say,  '  There  lives  a  rascally  tory.'  The 
day  before  yesterday,  a  boat  belonging  to  one  of  them  was 
taken,  coming  from  the  Asia,  on  board  of  which  ship  she 
had  been  carrying  provisions.  There  were  a  number  of 
letters  tied  up  in  a  bag  with  lead  in  it,  in  order  to  sink 
them  in  case  of  surprise,  but  this  happened  to  be  so  quick 
as  to  prevent  them  from  doing  it.  The  contents  of  the 
letters  from  tories  have  not  transpired,  but  the  owner  has 
absconded.  It  is  to  be  wished  that  some  method  could  be 
taken  to  break  wp  their  nest,  as  I  am  of  opinion  that  should  the 
enemy  appear  the  major  part  of  the  tories  would  not  hesi- 
tate a  moment  in  declaring  for  them." 

Within  the  lines  of  the  entrenchments,  two  other  forti- 
fications had  been  constructed,  to  command  important 
points.  One  of  these  was  erected  upon  a  conical  hill, 
called  Ponkiesberg,  which  rose  in  such  prominent  and 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  143 

well-defined  outline  from  the  nearly  plane  surface  as  to 
excite  the  query  if  it  was  not  the  work  of  human  hands. 
It  occupied  the  western  half  of  the  hlock  bounded  by 
Atlantic,  Pacific,  Court,  and  Clinton  streets ;  and  its  ele- 
vation above  the  present  grade  was  from  sixty  to  eighty 
feet.^  The  approach  of  the  enemy  was  to  be  announced 
to  "Washington  and  the  troops  in  IS'ew  York  by  the  firing 
of  the  guns  from  the  top  of  Cobble  hill,  as  the  eminence 
was  called  at  that  day.^ 

The  summit  of  this  striking  eminence  was  crowned  with 
a  redoubt  mounting  three  guns,  that  commanded  ihe  space 
between  it  and  Fort  Box,  and  the  Red  Hook  lane  which 
wound  around  its  base.  This  fortification  was  intended 
to  serve  as  a  portion  of  an  interior  line  of  defense,  should 
the  enemy  succeed  in  landing  at  Red  Hook,  or  in  crossing 
Gowanus  creek. 

Fort  Stirling,  the  largest  fortification  built  on  Long 
Island,  was  erected  upon  the  heights  overlooking  the  East 
River;  its  guns  sweeping  the  channel  between  Governor's 
Island  and  Brooklyn,  as  well  as  the  whole  width  of  the 
river.  It  was  star-shaped,  and  covered  an  area  of  two 
acres,  near  the  junction  of  Pierrepont  and  Hicks  streets. 
Remains  of  a  fortification,  supposed  to  occupy  its  site,  were 
visible  within  the  memory  of  many  persons  now  living. 
Eight  heavy  guns  were  mounted  upon  its  breastworks, 


^During  the  war  of  1813,  anotlier  redoubt  was  erected  upon  this  Mil,  and 
called  Fort  !5wift ;  but  at  the  period  of  the  revolution  it  was  known  as  Cork- 
screw fort  and  Cobble  hill.  A  circular  road  led  up  to  its  summit,  from 
which  was  visible  the  whole  extent  of  the  line  of  defenses,  the  wooded  hills 
from  Governor's  Island  to  the  Bedford  road,  with  the  valley  and  the  salt 
meadow  which  lay  between. 

General  orders  July  18th. —  American  Archives,  i,  418. 


144  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

and  covered  the  approach  by  laud  along  the  low  ground 
from  Atlantic  to  Hamilton  avenue. 

It  is  evident  from  the  position  of  Forts  Stirling,  Pon- 
kiesberg,  and  Box,  that  but  little  reliance  was  placed  upon 
the  natural  defense  afforded  by  Gowanus  creek,  or  on  the 
ability  of  the  occupants  of  Fort  Defiance  to  repulse  an 
attack  in  that  direction.  In  fact,  the  small  number  of 
troops  which  could  be  spared  to  defend  the  lines  of 
Brooklyn,  made  it  necessary  to  shorten  these  as  much  as 
possible ;  and,  in  pursuance  of  such  a  design,  these  strong 
interior  redoubts  had  been  constructed,  although  uncon- 
nected with  each  other  by  lines  of  entrenchments.  A 
great  citadel,  which  should  cover  five  acres,  had  been  con- 
templated in  the  original  plan  of  the  defenses.  It  was  to 
occupy  a  site  near  that  on  which  the  City  Hall  now  stands, 
and  was  to  be  called  the  Congress.^ 

A  month  before  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  con- 
struction of  fortifications  in  Brooklyn  had  commenced,  Gro- 
vernor's  Island  had  been  the  scene  of  most  stirring  activity. 
A  thousand  men  had  taken  possession  of  it,  on  the  fifteenth 
of  April,  and  had  begun  to  turn  its  entire  area  into  a  for- 
tification, which  would  enable  its  defenders  to  effectually 
resist  the  attempts  of  the  enemy's  ships  to  break  through 
the  obstructions  in  the  channel. 

The  number  of  guns  mounted  upon  the  breastworks 
from  Fort  Putnam  to  Fort  Defiance  was  thirty-five,  of  all 
calibres,  though  mainly  eighteen-pounders.  Ticonderoga 
and  'New  Providence  had  contributed  to  the  armament; 
and  the  valor  of  Col.  Allen  and  Commodore  Hopkins 


^  Peter  Force.— American  Archives,  v,  480. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  145 

had  combined  to  give  the  Americans  possession  of  these 
means  of  defense.  Such  were  the  preparations  for  resist- 
ance to  the  invader ;  extensive  in  design,  but  incomplete  in 
accomplishment ;  planned  for  a  defense,  that  left  defenders 
out  of  the  calculation ;  and  strong  for  resistance  against  an 
attack  which  was  never  attempted.^ 

To  defend  these  interior  lines,  in  front  of  the  village  of 
Brooklyn-church,  a  force  of  eight  thousand  men  was  the 
smallest  to  which  they  could  have  been  entrusted,  with  any 
hope  of  success.  In  addition  to  this,  the  exterior  lines 
would  require  as  large  a  number  of  troops  to  hold  them, 
for  a  day,  against  only  an  equal  number  of  the  enemy. 

All  the  force  which  Washington  had  had  at  his  disposal 
on  the  8th  of  August,  to  meet  these  demands,  and  to 
provide  for  the  exigencies  of  his  position  in  I^ew  York, 
amounted  to  only  seventeen  thousand  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  men;  of  whom  three  thousand  six  hundred 
and  sixty-eight  were  sick,  and  unfit  for  duty.  These  raw, 
undisciplined  troops,  were  extended  over  a  line  of  defense 


^The  British  fortifications  of  Brooklyn,  erected  a  few  weeks  after  the 
retreat  of  the  Americans,  were  constructed  on  a  line  interior  to  and  shorter 
than  the  American  entrenchments.  They  were  constructed  with  much  care, 
though  the  British  seem  to  have  contemplated  more  the  defense  of  the  har- 
bor than  of  the  land.  Lieut.  Anburey,  who  visited  them  in  October,  1781, 
describes  at  some  length  the  strong  fortifications  from  which  the  rebel  Gen. 
Washington  was  driven  by  the  valor  of  the  British  troops.  He  expresses 
great  surprise  at  the  evacuation  by  Gen.  Washington  and  his  troops ;  when 
the  fact  is,  that  at  the  time  of  his  visit,  not  one  foot  of  the  lines  constructed 
by  the  Americans  had  been  in  existence  for  more  than  five  years.  Gen. 
Johnson  says,  in  his  manuscript  journal,  that  on  the  occupation  of  the  lines 
by  the  British,  the  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  were  immediately  summoned  to 
aid  in  the  leveling  of  the  fortifications  of  the  Americans.  This  is  confirmed 
by  the  testimony  of  Gen.  Robertson,  in  his  evidence  before  the  committee 
appointed  to  investigate  the  conduct  of  the  war  by  Gen.  Howe,  in  which 
he  says :  "  Three  weeks  after  the  occupation  of  the  lines,  scarcely  a  vestige 
of  them  remained." 

19 


146  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

reaching  from  King's  Bridge,  on  Manhattan  Island,  to 
Bedford,  on  Long  Island,  or  more  than  seventeen  miles  in 
length.  The  urgent  representations  of  Washington  to  the 
governors  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and  the  !N"ew  Eng- 
land States,  that  he  was  in  reality  defending  the  gate  to 
each  of  their  capitals,  brought  nearly  ten  thousand  addi- 
tional militia  to  his  camp,  during  the  succeeding  fortnight. 
But  of  the  twenty-seven  thousand  men  now  in  the  camps 
on  Long  and  Manhattan  Islands,  seven  thousand  were 
either  in  the  hospitals,  or  unfit  for  service  from  illness. 
On  the  twenty-second  of  August,  Col.  Hand's  Pennsylva- 
nia regiment  of  riflemen,  then  enrolling  five  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  was  the  only  force  occupying  the  broad  area  of 
territory  between  the  Brooklyn  lines  and  the  shore  of  I^ew 
York  bay ;  aided  by  the  occasional  service  of  the  two 
Kings  county  troops  of  horse,  as  patrols.  Within  the  lines 
were  Col.  Ward's  regiment,  nearly  six  hundred  strong; 
Col.  Atlee's  Pennsylvania  battalion,  of  about  the  same 
strength;  Col.  Smallwood's,  of  four  hundred,  and  Col. 
Hazlitt's,  of  two  hundred  men.  Col.  Smith's  and  Col. 
Eemsen's  regiments  of  Long  Island  militia,  of  about  three 
hundred  each,  and  Col.  Lasher's  New  York  State  militia, 
numbering  five  hundred  and  fifty  men,  were  designated 
to  man  the  lines ;  their  undisciplined  character,  and  the 
suspected  loyalty  of  many  of  both  officers  and  privates, 
rendering  them  unfit  to  be  employed  in  the  open  field.^ 
About  the  same  time  two  regiments  of  Connecticut  troops, 
under  Cols.  Huntington  and  Parsons,  and  two  Pennsyl- 

^  The  first  two  regiments  were  formed  under  tlie  provision  of  Congress, 
ordering  one-fourtli  of  tlie  militia  of  the  island  to  be  drafted.  They  num- 
bered eight  or  nine  hundred  men.—  Silas  Wood,  136. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  147 

vania  regiments,  under  Cols.  Miles  and  Lutz,  were  ordered 
to  cross  to  Brooklyn ;  and  soon  after  the  landing  of  the 
British,  they  were  in  position,  on  the  hills  overlooking 
Flatbush.  The  strength  of  these  regiments  is  unknown ; 
but,  estimating  them  by  those  of  other  states,  their  aggre- 
gate was  probably  not  far  from  two  thousand  men.  This 
gave  a  force  of  five  thousand  five  hundred,  officers  and 
privates,  defending  the  Brooklyn  lines  on  the  22d  of 
August.  More  than  two-thirds  of  this  number  were 
militia ;  and  the  regulars,  enlisted  in  the  states  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, Maryland,  and  Delaware,  had  never  been  in  battle. 

Gen.  JsTathaniel  Greene,  who  was  in  command,  had  made 
himself  perfectly  familiar  with  the  peculiarities  of  the 
country  in  his  front,  and  was  particularly  zealous  in  caus- 
ing the  whole  shore  of  the  bay,  and  the  roads  and  passes 
through  the  woods  and  hills,  to  be  constantly  scoured  by 
patrols  and  scouting  parties. 

During  the  interval  of  repose  which  succeeded  the  arrival 
of  the  last  squadron  of  the  fleet,  its  movements,  performed 
with  the  greatest  deliberation,  had  been  the  subject  of 
profound  solicitude,  as  well  as  full  of  mystery  to  the  Ame- 
ricans. One  day  it  had  anchored  in  Jaques  bay,  on  the 
Staten  Island  shore ;  the  next,  it  stood  up  the  inner  bay  for 
a  mile  or  two,  the  almost  countless  vessels  of  which  it  was 
composed  stretching  across  from  Staten  to  Long  Island, 
and  overshadowing  the  wide  inland  sea  with  their  sails. 
The  morning  of  another  day  discovered  two  of  the  men- 
of-war,  favored  by  the  wind  and  tide,  pressing  up  the  Hud- 
son under  full  sail,  and  treating  the  cannonade  from  Eed 
Hook,  two  miles  distant,  with  contemptuous  silence.  A 
few  days  of  marauding  from  the  ship's  boats,  and  of  recon- 


148 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


noitering  from  the  maintops,  were  hurriedly  brought  to  a 
close,  by  the  discovery  that  the  rebels  were  preparing  a 
hot  reception  for  them,  with  two  fire-ships.  A  sudden 
and  rapid  flight  down  the  river,  back  to  their  anchoring 
ground,  enabled  them  to  escape  the  conflagration  of  the 
fire-ships,  which  floated  harmlessly  until  they  were  con- 
sumed.^ 

The  morning  of  the  twenty-second  of  August  dawned 
with  tropical  brilliancy,  upon  a  scene  of  unequaled  interest 
to  the  spectators  of  both  armies.  Long  before  the  sun  had 
risen,  the  British  army  had  been  under  arms;  and  from  the 
various  camps  the  entire  force  was  marching,  with  the  loud 
strains  of  martial  music,  to  the  place  of  embarkation.  The 
men-of-war  had  quit  their  anchorage,  and  were  standing 
up  the  bay  under  easy  sail,  with  open  ports,  and  guns  ready 
for  action.  At  the  landing  on  Staten  Island,  seventy-five 
fleet  boats,  attended  by  three  bateaux  and  two  galleys, 
received  four  thousand  of  the  Hessian  troops  on  board; 
and,  at  the  firing  of  a  signal  gun,  their  thousand  oars 
dipped  almost  simultaneously  into  the  waters  of  the  bay. 
Another  corps,  of  five  thousand  men,  was  embarked  upon 
the  transports,  which  now  took  up  their  position  under 

^During  the  interval  whicli  liad  elapsed  since  his  arrival,  the  spies  of 
Gen,  Howe  had  penetrated  every  camp  of  the  Americans,  and  haunted  every 
entrenchment.  Gen.  Greene  reported  on  the  18th,  "  Our  outguards  suspect 
that  there  are  spies  about  the  camp.  The  sentries  have  fired  half  a  dozen 
times  a  night  the  three  preceding  nights."  This  dangerous  service  was 
not  undertaken  alone  by  the  loyalists.  At  the  request  of  General  Mercer, 
Captain  John  Meserole,  of  Bushwick,  adventured  upon  the  hazardous 
attempt  to  reconnoitre  the  British  camp  on  Staten  Island  at  night,  for  the 
purpose  of  gaining  information  that  would  enable  the  general  to  attack  an 
isolated  post  under  cover  of  the  darkness  of  the  next  night.  This  perilous 
enterprise  Capt.  Meserole  accomplished,  aided  by  his  intimate  knowledge 
of  the  isUnd  and  its  secret  paths. —  See  Gen.  Mercer's  Report,  American 
ArcMves,  i,  fifth  series,  369. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  149 

the  guns  of  the  men-of-war,  attended  by  ten  bateaux  to 
aid  in  their  landing.^  In  another  instant  the  surface  of  the 
bay  between  the  two  islands  was  covered  with  the  flotilla, 
rowing  swiftly  towards  the  Long  Island  shore.  In  advance 
sailed  the  galleys  and  bateaux,  over  the  shoal  water  where 
the  great  ships  could  not  float,  firing  from  their  bow-guns 
as  they  approached  the  land. 

The  scene  was  not  less  magnificent  than  appalling. 
The  greatest  naval  and  military  force  which  had  ever  left 
the  shores  of  England,  was  now  assembled  in  the  harbor 
of  N"ew  York ;  for  the  mightiest  power  upon  the  globe  had 
put  forth  its  greatest  strength  to  crush  its  rebellious  colo- 
nies.^ Thirty-seven  men-of-war  guarded  a  transport  fleet 
of  four  hundred  vessels,  freighted  with  enormous  trains  of 
artillery,  and  every  conceivable  munition  of  war;  with 
troops  of  artillery  and  cavalry  horses,  and  provisions  for 
the  sustenance  of  the  thirty-five  thousand  soldiers  and 
sailors  who  had  been  borne  across  the  ocean  in  their  hulls. 
Amid  all  the  stirring  scenes  which  ninety  years  past  have 
witnessed  in  the  great  metropolis  of  the  western  world, 
nothing,  which  will  compare  in  magnitude  and  grandeur 
with  that  upon  which  dawned  the  morning  of  the  22d  of 
August,  1776,  has  human  eye  since  beheld  in  America. 


^  One  element  of  the  invading  army  has  escaped  tlie  notice  of  historians, 
who  have  not  failed  to  comment  upon  its  heterogeneous  character.  Orders 
had  been  issued  that  the  old  laws  of  England  should  be  revived  against 
Sorners,  Egyptians,  or  Bohemians,  as  the  people  called  Gipsies  were  termed ; 
and  many  of  them  were  impressed  into  the  ranks.  These  erratic  people  took 
the  first  occasion  that  offered  to  desert,  and  many  of  them  never  returned  to 
England. —  Simpson's  History  of  the  Gipsies. 

"  Sir  George  Collier,  who  commanded  the  Rainbow,  the  leading  vessel  of 
the  convoy,  on  the  landing  of  the  Hessians  on  the  22d  of  August,  makes  this 
statement  in  his  narrative. —  See  Appendix  34. 


150  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Almost  a. century  has  elapsed;  and  the  gigantic  schemes 
of  commerce,  and  the  awful  energies  of  warfare,  have  alike 
failed  to  assemble  a  fleet  so  numerous,  or  an  invading 
force  so  vast,  upon  the  waters  of  the  Western  ocean. 

So  thoroughly  planned  had  been  the  movement,  that, 
by  eight  o'clock,  the  flotilla  was  under  way;  and  before 
mid-day  fifteen  thousand  men,  with  forty  pieces  of  artillery, 
and  the  horses  of  the  regiment  of  light  dragoons,  had 
been  landed  at  Denyse's  point,  then  used  as  a  ferry-landing 
from  Staten  Island.  On  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  Col. 
Hand's  riflemen  had  slowly  withdrawn  from  the  shore, 
only  pausing  to  deliver  a  shot  or  two,  at  long  range,  on  the 
advancing  boats.^  In  'New  York,  the  gloom  which  fol- 
lowed the  announcement  of  the  landing  of  the  enemy,  was 
only  relieved  by  the  bustle  of  the  preparations  for  defense. 
Bodies  of  the  militia,  which  could  scarcely  be  dignified  by 
the  title  of  regiments,  were  hurried  over  the  ferry  to 
Brooklyn ;  apprehension,  almost  attaining  to  despair,  fill- 
ing their  hearts  with  gloom  and  sadness.  We  have  the 
records  of  numbers  of  these  soldiers,  unaccustomed  to  the 
presence  of  an  angry  foe,  to  testify  to  the  awful  dread 
which  over-clouded  every  mind,  at  this  fateful  period. 
IsTor  is  this  a  subject  for  surprise,  to  one  who  reflects  upon 
the  gigantic  disparity  of  the  forces  soon  to  meet  in  the 
terrible  onset  of  battle.  To  most  of  our  countrymen,  who 
crossed  the  East  River  on  the  morning  of  the  22d  of 
August,  it  was  a  self-devotion  almost  equivalent  to  volun- 
tary martyrdom. 


*  Capt.  afterwards  Lord  Harris,  declares  the  landing  to  have  been  made 
without  opposition  ;  but  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  flotilla  was  fired 
upon  by  a  battery. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  151 

Thronged  as  the  day  had  been  with  portentous  events, 
and  shadowed  by  forebodings,  it  was  not  permitted  to  close 
without  a  war  of  the  elements,  which  added  to  the  horrors 
that  already  hung  over  the  American  camp  in  Brooklyn. 
A  dark  cloud  rapidly  gathered  in  the  west,  as  the  day 
waned,  and  in  a  few  moments  overspread  the  sky  in  that 
direction.  It  was  evident  that  it  was  freighted  with 
electrical  bolts,  that  would  soon  burst,  with  all  the  vio- 
lence of  our  summer  thunder  gusts,  upon  the  devoted 
camp.  In  a  few  moments  the  roar  of  the  artillery  of 
heaven,  and  the  flashes  of  the  sheet  lightning,  were  appall- 
ing to  the  stoutest  warrior.  For  three  hours  the  crash  of 
thunder,  following  instantly  the  blinding  glare  of  light, 
was  almost  incessant;  and  when  morning  dawned,  the 
victims  of  elemental  rage  lay  in  more  than  one  tent,  never 
to  be  appalled  with  the  sound  of  battle  again.  A  captain 
and  two  lieutenants,  of  McDougall's  regiment,  were  killed 
by  one  flash ;  and  when  the  canvass  of  another  fallen  tent 
was  raised,  it  disclosed  the  bodies  of  ten  soldiers,  who  had 
in  one  moment  been  summoned  to  the  presence  of  their 
Maker.  It  was  under  the  influence  of  such  an  ominous 
event  that  the  American  army  was  to  meet  an  enemy  for 
the  first  time  in  the  open  field.^ 


*  For  minute  accounts  of  this  terrible  exhibition  of  electrical  power,  see 
Chaplain  Benedict's  Narrative.  Document  15.  Also  American  Archives, 
I,  fourth  series,  p.  1113  and  1163.    Copied  in  Document  22. 


152 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

The  Battles  of  Flatbush,  Gowanus,  and  Brooklyn. 

The  landing  of  the  British,  at  Denyse's  ferry,  decided 
the  point  of  attack,  uncertainty  about  which  had  filled  the 
mind  of  the  American  commander  with  grave  anxiety.^ 
Preparations  to  receive  the  enemy  on  the  wooded  heights 
of  Flatbush  and  Gowanus,  were  now  hurriedly  made;  while 
Col.  Hand's  riflemen  hung  upon  their  front,  to  embarrass 
and  check  their  progress  as  long  as  possible.  The  con- 
sternation which  seized  the  minds  of  the  inhabitants, 
impelled  them  to  instant  flight.  Such  fearful  stories  had 
been  narrated  of  the  barbarity  of  the  Hessian  invaders, 
that  nothing  was  expected  but  indiscrimate  massacre  at 
their  hands.  Houses  and  lands,  and  personal  efiects,  were 
abandoned  by  the  farmers  of  Flatbush  and  JSTew  Utrecht, 
who  fled4:o  the  Brooklyn  lines,  or  to  Connecticut,  for  safety. 
The  cattle  were  driven  from  the  farms  by  squads  of  Ame- 
rican soldiers,  or  were  left  in  the  field  or  the  stall  by  their 
owners.  The  food  with  which  the  tables  had  been  spread 
was  even  left  untasted,  so  absorbing  was  the  fear  of  the 
approaching  enemy.^ 


^ "  Before  the  landing  of  the  enemy  on  Long  Island,  the  point  of  attack 
could  not  be  known,  or  any  satisfactory  judgment  formed  of  their  intentions. 
It  might  be  on  Long  Island,  or  Bergen,  or  directly  upon  the  city." —  Wasli- 
ington's  letter  to  Congress,  Sept.  8th,  1776. 

^  An  illustration  of  the  mutual  distrust  with  which  the  British  and  the 
residents  of  Long  Island  viewed  each  other,  is  afforded  by  an  incident 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


153 


In  compliance  with  orders  issued  from  headquarters  on 
the  first  appearance  of  the  British  forces  on  Staten  Island, 
the  grain  and  hay  of  the  farmers  had  been  either  stacked 
in  the  field  at  the  harvest,  or  removed  to  such  a  distance 
from  the  barns  that  the  destruction  of  the  forage  by  fire 
would  not  endanger  them.  The  landing  of  the  enemy 
was  the  signal  for  a  conflagration  that  spread  over  the 
wide  plains  of  the  five  towns  of  Kings  county,  devouring 
the  rich  harvests,  covering  the  land  with  a  dense  canopy  of 
smoke,  or  lighting  up  the  gloomy  night  with  lurid  flames.^ 
Marching  behind  the  fugitives,  the  advanced  guard  of 
the  enemy  pressed  forward,  clearing  the  woods  and  lanes 
of  Col.  Hand's  riflemen,  who  still  hung  upon  the  front  and 
flanks  of  the  column.  Lord  Cornwallis,  in  command  of  the 
British  grenadiers  and  light  infantry,  followed  closely  after, 
and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  22d  some  of  his  troops  reached 
Flatbush.  As  soon  as  information  of  the  landing  was 
received  by  Washington,  he  ordered  a  reinforcement  of 
six  regiments  for  General  Sullivan,  under  the  apprehension 
that  the  Brooklyn  lines  would  be  immediately  assaulted.^ 

occurring  at  the  farm  house  of  Van  Duyne  in  New  Utrecht.  When  the  news  of 
the  landing  and  march  of  the  enemy  reached  the  family,  they  were  engaged 
in  withdrawing  from  the  oven  the  abundant  store  of  bread  and  baked  meats 
which  the  provident  Dutch  customs  of  the  Island  required.  The  display  of 
tempting  food  upon  the  table^^abandoned  in  the  sudden  flight,  suggested  to 
the  British  soldiers,  who  entered  the  house,  nothing  less  than  a  deliberate 
attempt  at  poisoning  them,  and  they  accordingly  expressed  their  indignation 
by  tossing  the  rich  joints  and  white  loaves  on  their  bayonets  about  the 
kitchen. 

^ "  There  is  an  abundance  of  smoke  on  Long  Island,  our  folks  having  set 
fire  to  stacks  of  hay,  etc.,  to  prevent  the  enemy's  being  benefited,  in  case 
they  get  any  advantage  against  us." — Letter  dated  Aug.  22d,  1776.  See 
Document  22. 

^  To  Major  OeneraJ.  Heath. 

"  Sir :  Yesterday  morning  the  enemy  landed  at  Gravesend  bay  upon  Long 
Island,  to  the  number  of  about  eight  thousand,  from  the  best  information  I 
20 


154 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


A  small  redoubt  had  been  constructed  by  the  Ameri- 
cans near  the  western  boundary  of  the  village  of  Flatbush ; 
and  here  occurred  the  first  collision  between  the  British 
and  the  American  forces  on  our  Island.  Lord  Cornwallis 
had  been  directed  to  assume  command  of  the  reserves,  and 
move  upon  Flatbush.  At  Gravesend  he  halted ;  but  he 
pushed  forward  the  vanguard,  under  the  Hessian  Colonel 
Donop,  to  Flatbush,  where  it  arrived  in  the  evening.  Three 
hundred  American  riflemen,  who  had  occupied  the  village, 
abandoned  it,  as  soon  as  the  Hessian  battery  of  six  guns 
had  taken  position  and  opened  fire.  The  possession  of 
this  slumberous  little  Dutch  village  by  the  Hessians  was 
not,  however,  destined  to  be  maintained  without  a  struggle. 
The  awe  inspired  by  the  imposing  array  of  the  German 
troops  had  worn  away  in  the  cool  night,  and  early  on  the 
morning  of  the  23d  the  slumbers  of  the  heavy-eyed  Hes- 
sians were  broken  by  a  dash  upon  their  right  wing,  resting 
near  the  west  end  of  the  village.  On  the  thickly  wooded 
hills  near  Flatbush,  Col.  Hand  was  in  command  of  the 
whole  Pennsylvania  battalion  of  riflemen,  consisting  of 
five  hundred  and  fifty-three  officers  and  privates.  Believ- 
ing that  the  familiarity  acquired  by  combat  with  these 

can  get.  Colonel  Hand  retreated,  before  them,  burning  as  be  came  along 
several  parcels  of  wheat,  and  sucb  other  matters  as  he  judged  would  fall 
into  the  enemy's  hands.  Our  first  accounts  were,  that  they  intended,  by  a 
forced  march,  to  surprise  Gen.  Sullivan's  lines,  who  commands  during  the 
illness  of  Gen.  Greene ;  whereupon  I  immediately  reinforced  that  post  with 
six  regiments.  But  the  enemy  halted  last  night  at  Flatbush.  If  they 
attack  General  Sullivan  this  day,  and  should  show  no  disposition  to  attack 
me  likewise  at  the  making  of  the  next  flood  [i.  e.  in  New  York,  where  Gen. 
Washington  was  then  stationed],  I  shall  send  such  further  reinforcements 
to  Long  Island  as  I  may  judge  expedient,  not  choosing  to  weaken  this  post 
too  much  before  I  am  certain  that  the  enemy  are  not  making  a  feint  upon 
Long  Island,  to  draw  our  force  to  that  quarter,  when  their  real  design  may 
perhaps  be  upon  this." —  Washington's  letter,  Aug.  23d,  1776. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  155 

formidable  strangers,  would  dissipate  the  unreasoning 
dread  with  which  they  were  regarded,  Col.  Hand  ordered 
an  assault  upon  their  lines.^ 

The  attack  was  spirited,  though  feebly  maintained,  as 
the  Americans  retired  to  the  woods  so  soon  as  a  field-piece 
was  brought  to  bear  upon  them.  Gathering  confidence, 
however,  with  their  experience,  the  Americans,  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  same  day,  made  preparations  for  another  as- 
sault. What  was  the  force  engaged,  or  who  commanded 
in  person,  is  uncertain,  as  the  accounts  of  these  skirmishes 
are  derived  only  from  Hessian  journalists  and  tradition. 
Col.  Donop's  left  wing,  encamped  upon  the  ground  a  short 
distance  west  of  the  Brooklyn  and  I^Tew  Utrecht  road,  was 
on  this  occasion  the  object  of  attack.  So  impetuous  and 
fierce  was  the  assault,  that  that  portion  of  the  Hessian 
corps  was  driven  back  upon  the  main  body,  then  lying 
south  of  the  Dutch  Church,  and  the  whole  detachment  was 
held  at  bay  for  more  than  an  hour.  The  fire  of  the  Ame- 
rican riflemen  was  so  galling  that  the  Hessians  were  com- 
pelled to  improvise  redoubts,  from  the  houses  of  Adrian 
Hegeman  and  Lefferts  Marten se,  for  the  purpose  of  repel- 
ling their  attack.  In  these  buildings  they  cut  holes, 
wherever  these  afibrded  them  position  for  firing  upon  the 
American  sharpshooters.    At  length  the  cannon,  from 

^ "  On  Friday  the  23d,  a  party  of  British  took  possession  of  Flatbush,  which 
brought  on  a  hot  fire  from  our  troops,  who  are  advantageously  posted  in  and 
on  every  eminence.  An  advanced  party  are  encamped  a  little  to  the  north 
west  of  Flatbush  church,  and  have  a  battery  somewhat  west  of  Jeremiah 
Vanderbilt,  whence  they  fire  briskly  upon  our  people,  who  often  approach 
and  discharge  their  rifles  within  two  hundred  yards  of  their  works.  One  of 
our  gunners  threw  a  shell  into  Mr.  Axtel's  house  where  a  number  of  officers 
were  at  dinner,  but  we  have  not  heard  what  damage  was  done." —  Onder- 
donk's  Rewlutionary  Incidents,  796. 


156 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


which  the  Hessian  gunners  had  doubtless  been  driven  by 
our  riflemen,  were  brought  into  position,  and  opened  their 
fire  upon  the  assaulting  party.^  At  this  time  the  houses 
of  Jeremiah  Yanderbilt,  Lefibrt  LeflTerts,  and  Evert  Hege- 
man,  were  in  flames,  and  added  by  their  conflagration  to 
the  horrors  which  war  had  brought  upon  this  quiet  village. 
Although  it  has  been  a  popular  habit  to  charge  this  incen- 
diarism upon  the  Hessian  invaders,  it  is  yet  certain  that 
these  dwellings  were  fired  by  the  Americans,  to  prevent 
their  occupation  as  defensive  positions  by  the  enemy.^ 

Our  countrymen,  to  whom  the  unfamiliar  roar  of  ord- 
nance had  been  so  dreadful  on  the  day  before,  had  now  dis- 
covered that  its  thunder  was  not  accompanied  by  the 
inevitable  bolt  of  death ;  and  it  required  the  steady  service 
of  the  entire  battery,  for  some  minutes,  to  compel  their 
retreat.^  On  the  25th  the  Americans  determined  to  meet 
the  Hessian  artillery  with  the  same  arms ;  and  accordingly 
a  strong  body  of  riflemen,  accompanied  by  several  guns, 
pushed  forward  beyond  the  edge  of  the  woods,  and  opened 
fire,  with  round  and  grape  shot,  upon  the  devoted  village, 
behind  whose  walls  the  enemy  had  sought  shelter  from  the 

^ "  This  afternoon  the  enemy  formed  and  attempted  to  pass  the  road  by 
Bedford.  A  smart  fire  between  them  and  the  riflemen  ensued.  The  officer 
sent  off"  for  a  reinforcement,  which  I  ordered  immediately.  A  number  of 
musketry  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  riflemen,  whose  fire,  with  that  of 
our  field  pieces,  caused  a  retreat  of  the  enemy.  Our  men  followed  them  to 
the  house  of  Judge  Lefferts  (where  a  number  of  them  had  taken  lodgings), 
drove  them  out,  and  burned  the  house  and  a  number  of  other  buildings 
contiguous." —  Gen.  Sullivan's  letter.    Document  21. 

'^Washington  considered  the  burning  of  these  houses  unnecessary  and 
criminal.  The  irregular  skirmishing  seems  to  have  been  equally  unsatis- 
factory to  him.    See  Document  20,  in  Appendix. 

^Extract  of  a  letter  from  New  York,  dated  Aug.  2Uh,  1776  :  "  The  day 
before  yesterday  a  detachment  of  the  enemy  landed  at  New  Utrecht  on 
Long  Island;  they  are  said  to  be  about  nine  thousand.    Two  or  three 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  167 

rebel  sharpshooters.  The  attack  was  well  maintained  for 
a  time,  hut  was  at  length  repulsed  by  the  greater  weight 
and  steadiness  of  the  Hessian  artillery.  The  poor  Ger- 
mans, however,  began  to  find  this  kind  of  warfare  harassing 
and  depressing.  They  had  been  accustomed  to  fight  ene- 
mies who  slept  at  night,  and  behaved  altogether  in  a  de- 
cent and  respectable  style  of  belligerency.  These  reckless, 
dare-devil  barbarians,  who  routed  up  their  camp  at  night 
with  the  deadly  din  of  war,  or  who  slyly  crawled  serpent- 
like into  an  ambush  during  the  day,  from  which  their 
long  rifles  wounded  and  slew  their  comrades,  were  an 
intolerable  nuisance,  which  the  English  government  ought 
to  have  abated  before  it  called  upon  its  neighbors  to  aid 
it  in  fighting.  So  loudly  was  their  disgust  expressed  at 
this  sort  of  warfare,  that  Lord  Cornwallis  was  fain  to  re- 
lieve them  from  picket  and  guard  duty,  so  that  they  might 
be  enabled  to  pi*ocure  a  little  rest.^  The  inconsiderate 
Americans,  however,  beat  up  their  camp  again  at  2  o'clock 
on  the  morning  of  the  26th,  and  they  were  once  more  hur- 
ried to  the  front  to  assist  in  repelling  these  midnight  prow- 
lers.   This  was  the  fifth  considerable  skirmish,  in  three 

skirmishes  happened  yesterday  between  their  advanced  guards  and  ours,  in 
which  we  were  victorious ;  we  lost  not  a  man,  but  killed  several  of  the 
enemy,  among  the  rest  one  British  and  one  Hessian  officer.  The  former 
had  a  good  deal  of  gold  in  his  pocket ;  cannot  get  fairly  at  particulars ;  the 
Hessians  had  rifles.  We  have  got  several  neat  cutteaus  and  fusees,  such  as 
oflBcers  use,  from  which  we  suppose  the  oflicers  were  killed  or  very  badly 
wounded  and  carried  off"  the  field  by  the  enemy.  The  enemy  (the  advanced 
guard  said  to  be  three  thousand)  attempted  getting  to  Bedford,  on  the 
Jamaica  road,  but  were  driven  a  mile  and  a  half  further  back  than  where 
they  set  out  from.  There  is  firing  upon  the  island  now," — American 
Archives,  i,  1144, 

^  For  minute  details  of  these  skirmishes,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Hes- 
sian accounts  in  Elking's  Auxiliaries  in  America,  an  extract  from  which  is 
given  in  Document  40 ;  and  also  to  Col.  Chambers'  letter,  Document  31. 


158  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

days,  which  these  uneasy  Yankees  had  compelled  the  slow- 
moving  Germans  to  repel,  and  their  pertinacity  was  becom- 
ing unendurable.  During  the  afternoon  of  the  26th,  a 
stronger  force  of  the  Americans  than  had  yet  been  engaged 
was  pushed  forward,  in  an  assault  on  the  Hessian  lines ;  and 
this  time  with  such  threatening  demonstrations  that  Lord 
Cornwallis,  whose  instructions  were  imperative  not  to  press 
the  rebelsfrom  their  position,  immediately  ordered  Colonel 
Donop  to  retire.  The  brave  though  cruel  Hessian  begged 
hard  to  be  permitted  to  remain  and  intrench  himself,  but  he 
was  without  doubt  compelled  to  retire  to  the  main  body, 
which  was  far  too  powerful  for  the  light  assaulting  column 
of  the  Americans  to  make  any  impression  upon  it.^ 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  26th,  Lord  Cornwallis  had 
withdrawn  his  command,  which  formed  the  advanced 
guard,  to  Flatlands ;  and  at  9  o'clock  in  the  evening  he 
moved  eastward,  on  the  road  to  l^ew  Lotts.  He  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  heavy  corps  under  Clinton,  who  commanded 
the  division. 

Thirteen  regiments,  with  sixteen  pieces  of  artillery, 
under  the  command  of  Lord  Percy,  marched  immediately 
after  Clinton ;  and  this  last  corps  was  accompanied  by  the 
commander-in-chief.  Sir  William  Howe. 

In  profound  silence,  and  under  cover  of  the  night,  these 
troops  were  withdrawn  from  their  encampments,  in  which 


^In  the  skirmislies  whicli  occurred  on  this  day,  Col.  Martin  of  the  New 
J ersey  levies,  received  a  severe  wound  in  the  breast, —  Washington's  letter 
to  Congress,  Aug.  36th. 

Harmanus  Rutgers  fell  at  the  Flatbush  Pass,  being  struck  in  the  breast 
by  a  six-pound  shot.—  Onderdonk's  Revolutionary  Incidents,  796. 

Further  accounts  of  the  skirmishes  near  the  village  of  Flatbush  will  be 
found  in  Col.  Chambers'  letter.    Document  31. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  159 

the  tents  were  left  standing,  and  every  appearance  of  occu- 
pation was  maintained.  The  greatest  secrecy  was  pre- 
served regarding  the  intended  route,  and  every  caution 
taken  to  prevent  its  discovery.  The  movement  of  the 
three  divisions  was  very  slow,  in  order  to  give  time  for 
the  occupation  of  all  the  points  of  anticipated  attack  by 
the  light  troops  under  Cornwallis.  These  proceeded  wdth 
the  greatest  rapidity  and  secrecy,  everywhere  sweeping  up 
such  of  the  inhabitants  as  might  give  the  alarm,  until  they 
reached  the  little  salt  creek  which  was  crossed  by  Schoon- 
maker's  bridge,  a  short  distance  south-west  of  the  present 
site  of  East  l^ew  York.  Here  preparations  were  made  for 
a  serious  resistance.  Skirmishers  were  thrown  out,  right 
and  left ;  and  as  the  position  could  not  easily  be  turned, 
the  greatest  caution  was  exercised  in  approaching  it. 

To  the  surprise  of  the  British,  the  post  was  entirely 
unoccupied ;  and  the  route  was  now  open  to  the  foot  of 
the  hills  wbere  the  Jamaica  road  entered  upon  the  plains 
at  East  ^Tew  York.  Crossing  tbe  fields  from  the  ITew 
Lotts  road,  in  a  direct  line  to  this  point.  Lord  Cornwallis 
arrived,  about  2  o'clock  in  the  morning,  at  William  How- 
ard's tavern ;  which  still  remains,  at  the  corner  of  Broadway 
and  the  Jamaica  and  Brooklyn  turnpike,  then  called  the 
King's  highway. 

Here  the  three  tories,  who  had  hitherto  guided  the  in- 
vaders, were  at  fault ;  and  at  their  recommendation  the 
innkeeper,  William  Howard,  and  his  son,  a  young  lad  of 
fourteen  years,  were  compelled  to  guide  the  detachment 
to  a  pass  over  the  hills  known  as  the  Eockaway  path. 
This  was  a  bridle  road,  which  diverged  from  l^ew  Bush- 
wick  Lane,  near  the  north  entrance  of  Evergreen  Cemetery, 


IQQ  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

and,  crossing  the  latter  near  the  present  chapel,  emerged 
from  it  into  the  Jamaica  road  at  the  south-east  corner 
of  what  is  now  the  Cemetery. 

As  narrated  by  their  young  but  intelligent  guide  and 
observer,  every  incident  of  the  march  shows  the  greatest 
circumspection.  The  young  forest  trees  that  obstructed  the 
route,  were  sawed  instead  of  being  chopped  down,  to  avoid 
the  noise  which  might  alarm  the  American  outposts,  sup- 
posed to  be  guarding  the  deep  winding  cut  on  the  Bedford 
road  through  the  hills.  The  guns  were  drawn  by  six 
horses,  which  dashed  up  the  hill  at  full  speed  after  the 
road  had  been  cleared,  and  the  flanking  party  had  passed. 
The  vanguard  marched  rapidly  through  the  defile,  and 
by  a  circuitous  route  reached  the  Bedford  road,  only  to 
find  the  pass  unguarded.^ 

The  writer  has  several  times  had  the  good  fortune  to 
trace  the  route  of  the  British  army  through  the  pass 
over  the  hills,  accompanied  by  the  gentleman  who  is  now 
the  proprietor  of  a  portion  of  the  ground,  and  who  was 
often  visited  by  the  younger  Howard.  This  person  had 
accurately  and  minutely  pointed  out  every  step  of  the 
march  in  which  he  guided  Cornwallis  on  that  night. 

The  astounding  intelligence  that  the  Americans  had 
neglected  to  guard  a  pass  which  had  been  turned  with 
such  labor  and  caution,  was  communicated  to  the  main 
body,  then  resting  on  the  plain  at  East  'New  York ;  and  it 
was  immediately  under  march,  along  the  King's  highway. 
The  day  had  now  dawned,  and  the  troops  along  the  whole 
line  were  halted  for  breakfast  upon  the  Bushwick  hills. 


^Narration  of  William  Howard  to  James  Pilling. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


161 


At  9  o'clock  the  second  division,  under  Sir  Henry  Clin- 
ton, had  reached  Bedford,  having  had  the  amazing  good 
fortune  to  accomplish  the  most  difficult  of  military  move- 
ments: a  night  march,  over  an  intricate  and  unknown 
route,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  enemy,  in  perfect 
secrecy.  The  advanced  guard  had  swept  every  human 
heing  along  the  line  of  march  into  its  great  drag-net,  and 
silenced  every  tongue  which  could  tell  the  tale. 

Leaving,  at  this  point,  the  movements  of  the  invading 
forces,  let  us  turn  now  to  observe  the  changing  fortunes 
of  the  American  army. 

The  short  night  of  midsummer  was  just  beginning  to 
disappear  before  the  gray  dawn  of  morning,  when  Lord 
Stirling's  division  was  aroused  by  the  announcement, 
made  by  Gen.  Putnam  in  person,  of  the  approach  of  the 
British  forces  on  the  road  from  the  ^N'arrows.^ 

The  woods  that  covered  the  hilly  and  broken  ground 
from  Flatbush  plains  to  Gowanus  bay,  and  extended  in  an 
unbroken  range  from  the  present  Greenwood  to  Evergreen 
Cemetery,  concealed  alike  the  numbers  and  movements 
of  the  enemy,  and  the  positions  and  defenses  of  the  Ame- 
ricans. Behind  this  green  curtain,  17,000  of  the  best  troops 
of  Europe  were  marching  to  attack  5,000  undisciplined 
men,  on  the  first  pitched  battle-field  of  the  Eevolution. 

*  General  Putnam  was  now  in  command  of  all  the  forces  on  Long  Island, 
while  General  Sullivan  commanded  the  advanced  line  upon  the  exterior 
defenses.  Gen.  Greene,  who  had  before  been  in  command,  had  written  to 
Washington  on  the  15th  of  August,  from  Long  Island,  as  follows  :  "  I  am 
sorry  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  acquainting  you,  that  I  am  confined  to  my 
bed  with  a  raging  fever.  The  critical  situation  of  affairs  makes  me  the  more 
anxious ;  but  I  hope  through  the  assistance  of  Providence  to  be  able  to  ride, 
before  the  presence  of  the  enemy  may  make  it  absolutely  necessary." 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  this  hope  was  completely  imfulfilled, 
as  Gen.  Greene  for  some  weeks  subsequently  was  dangerously  ill. 
21 


IQ2  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Hitherto  the  contest  had  been  confined  to  the  defense  of 
a  redoubt,  like  that  at  Bunker  hill,  or  to  the  siege  of  a 
city,  as  at  Boston.  ITow  the  trial  was  to  be  upon  the  open 
field.  Taught  by  the  harassing  and  terrible  retreat  from 
Concord,  when  the  lanes  and  roads  of  Lexington  were 
strewed  with  British  dead  and  wounded,  and  by  the  dread- 
ful slaughter  on  Charlestown  Neck,  where  two  entire  regi- 
ments had  been  swept  away  only  to  obtain  possession  of 
a  worthless  position  already  abandoned,  the  enemy  had  at 
last  determined  to  treat  the  Rebellion  as  an  affair  of  no 
mean  importance. 

The  great  maxim  of  war  taught  by  Frederick  the 
Great  —  that  to  gain  victories  it  is  only  necessary  to  be 
strongest  at  the  point  of  attack  —  had  been  adopted  by  the 
British  commanders ;  and  the  enormous  advantage  which 
was  secured  to  them  by  their  possession  of  a  fleet  and 
their  command  of  the  water,  enabled  them  to  act  in 
accordance  with  it.  They  were  now,  therefore,  about  to 
test  the  truth  of  the  Prussian  conqueror's  motto.  A  vast 
armada,  with  hundreds  of  great  guns,  covered  the  waters 
of  'New  York  Bay ;  a  great  and  compact  body  of  disci- 
plined soldiers  was  soon  to  be  hurled,  in  one  solid  and 
homogeneous  mass,  upon  a  little  army  of  raw  militia, 
scattered  thinly  along  an  extended  line  of  defense,  almost 
without  arms,  and  unprotected  in  its  rear  by  even  a 
single  vessel  of  war. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  form  a  satisfactory  estimate  of  the 
number  of  American  troops  on  Long  Island,  on  this  and 
the  subsequent  days.  Washington,  in  his  letter  to  Con- 
gress, written  on  the  26th,  says:  "The  shifting  and 
changing  which  the  regiments  have  undergone  of  late,  has 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  153 

prevented  their  making  proper  returns,  and  of  course  puts 
it  out  of  my  power  to  transmit  a  general  one  of  the  army." 
The  whole  number  of  American  troops  which  crossed  to 
Long  Island,  at  various  times,  before  and  after  the  battle, 
has  been  estimated  at  nine  to  eleven  thousand ;  but  the 
diflSlculty  of  estimating  the  strength  of  the  force  opposed 
to  the  British  is  greatly  increased  by  the  manner  in  which. 
Washington  rated  his  troops.  In  some  of  his  letters,  which 
mention  numbers,  it  is  evident  that  he  referred  only  to  the 
regulars,  entirely  disregarding  the  militia.  During  the 
battle,  also,  and  on  the  subsequent  days,  troops  were 
crossed  in  regiments,  battalions,  companies,  and  even  in 
unorganized  squads,  which  in  the  hurry  and  confusion 
were  hardly  even  enrolled. 

At  this  time,  however,  the  whole  American  force  was 
probably  not  greater  than  five  thousand  five  hundred  men.* 

N^o  continuous  line  of  defense  outside  of  the  entrench- 
ments had  been  fixed  upon ;  and  the  defensible  positions 
were  occupied  only  by  strong  picket  guards,  which  should 
either  have  been  instructed  to  retreat  upon  the  main  body 
as  soon  as  the  intentions  of  the  enemy  were  developed,  or 
have  been  at  once  and  heavily  reinforced  when  the  point 
of  attack  became  apparent.^ 

^  Col.  Haslett,  in  a  letter  dated  Oct.  4tli,  1776,  says :  "  On  Tuesday,  the 
27tli,  Lord  Stirling's  brigade,  consisting  of  five  regiments  and  a  few  of 
Sullivan's,  not  exceeding  five  thousand  men,  were  ordered  to  advance  beyond 
the  lines  and  repulse  the  enemy." 

'  In  his  orders  to  Putnam,  dated  August  25th,  Washington  says :  "  The 
wood  next  Red  Hook  should  be  well  attended  to.  Put  some  of  the  most 
disorderly  riflemen  into  it.  The  militia  are  the  most  indifferent  troops,  and 
will  do  for  the  interior  works,  whilst  your  best  men  should  at  all  hazards 
prevent  the  enemy's  passing  the  wood  and  apj)roaching  the  works.  The 
woods  should  be  secured  by  abatis ;  traps  and  ambuscades  should  be  laid 
for  their  parties  sent  after  cattle." —  Document  20. 


134  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

On  the  26th,  a  picket  guard,  from  Col.  Atlee's  battalion 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  men,  was  thrown  forward  on 
the  right,  as  far  as  the  junction  of  Martense's  lane  with 
the  Shore  Koad.  Here  stood  the  Red  Lion  Inn,  the  cen- 
tral point  around  which  on  the  next  day  swayed  the 
eddying  tide  of  battle.  Martense's  lane  wound  through  the 
Greenwood  hills  in  a  narrow  defile ;  and  along  its  borders, 
wherever  the  rocks  and  stone  walls  afforded  defensible 
points,  the  battalion  took  position.  IsTear  midnight  two  of 
the  enemy's  scouts  were  observed  by  the  sentries,  ap- 
proaching across  a  melon  patch,  and  were  immediately  fired 
upon,  when  the  body  to  which  they  belonged  retreated. 

At  one  o'clock,  however,  the  enemy  reappeared,  two  or 
three  hundred  strong,  and  exhibited  an  intention  of  sur- 
rounding the  picket-guard,  and  cutting  off  their  retreat. 
The  watchfulness  of  the  sentries  prevented  a  surprise,  and 
two  or  three  close  volleys  were  discharged  upon  them ;  after 
which,  finding  themselves  outnumbered  two  to  one,  the 
guard  retreated.  Information  of  the  enemy's  approach  was 
at  once  communicated  to  Gen.  Putnam,  who  was  anxiously 
awaiting  the  tidings  and  he  at  once  proceeded  to  Stirling's 
camp  for  the  purpose  of  giving  orders  for  his  advance. 

The  morning  of  the  eventful  27th  of  August,  was  now 
dawning.  It  found  another  portion  of  the  American 
troops,  under  Gen.  Sullivan,  in  line  of  battle  on  the  ridge 
of  hills  overlooking  the  enemy's  encampment  at  Flatbush. 
So  peculiar  in  its  formation  was  this  line  that  it  is  difi&cult 
to  comprehend  its  details  from  a  single  stand-point.  The 
centre  of  the  American  lines,  however,  was  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Porte  road  with  the  Flatbush  road,  near  where 
the  present  Flatbush  Avenue  terminates,  at  the  City  line. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  1^5 

At  this  point  a  small  redoubt  had  been  constructed, 
whose  miniature  guns  mocked  the  Valley  Grove  pass  with 
the  impotent  threat  of  a  defense.  Scarcely  a  mile  away, 
upon  the  plain  at  the  entrance  of  the  village  of  Tlatbush, 
was  the  little  half-moon  intrenchment,  thrown  up  by  the 
Americans,  and  abandoned  on  the  approach  of  Cornwallis' 
troops.  It  will  be  recollected  that  this  General  had  made 
a  threatening  demonstration  upon  the  American  works  on 
the  hills,  on  the  first  day  of  his  occupation  of  Flatbush, 
but  had  retired  when  his  reconnoissance  had  developed  the 
position  of  the  rebel  troops,  and  had  proved  the  necessity 
of  an  assault  to  obtain  possession  of  it. 

The  abandonment  of  the  lower  redoubt  by  the  Ameri- 
cans, without  serious  resistance,  had  suggested  the  proba- 
bility of  a  similar  movement  from  the  hill  work,  whenever 
it  should  be  attacked  in  force ;  but  this  was  precisely  what 
the  enemy  was  most  desirous  to  prevent.  On  the  other 
hand  around  this  feeble  redoubt,  the  Americans  anticipated 
that  their  opponent  would  concentrate  his  forces,  and  that 
here  would  occur  the  deadliest  struggle  of  the  day. 

At  this  point,  therefore,  Major-General  Sullivan,  the 
commanding  officer  outside  the  entrenchments,  took  his 
position.  From  the  centre  of  his  line  the  range  of  hills 
bent,  in  an  obtuse  angle,  forming  two  sides  of  an  immense 
amphitheatre,  along  whose  slopes  waited  the  spectators 
who  were  so  soon  to  become  actors  in  this  bloody  drama. 
A  small  valley  descended  to  the  plain,  from  the  summit 
of  the  ridge  which  was  crowned  by  the  redoubt;  and 
along  this  natural  glacis  the  enemy  was  expected  to 
approach.  The  ridge  was  broken  into  small  eminences, 
separated  by  shallow  depressions,  which  were  in  many 


IQQ  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

places  covered  with  bogs,  of  a  few  acres  in  extent,  impas- 
sable to  any  troops  except  as  skirmishers.  Everywhere, 
over  this  varied  surface,  grew  the  luxuriant  native  forest 
trees.  The  slopes  of  the  low  hillocks  to  their  summits, 
the  valleys,  and  the  swamps,  were  covered  with  them. 
Only  the  broad  plain  below  had  been  cleared  to  receive 
the  plough ;  and  upon  it  rose  the  quaint  structures  of  the 
Dutch  villages  of  Midwout  or  Fhitbush,  Amersfort  or 
riatlands,  New  Utrecht,  and  Gravesend. 

In  full  view  of  the  American  front  lay  the  combined 
armies  of  England  and  the  German  principalities  ;  while 
the  position  of  the  American  forces  was  masked  entirely 
from  the  view  of  the  enemy  by  the  great  forest,  under- 
neath which  they  were  intrenched.  The  very  mystery 
surrounding  their  position  obtained  for  it  the  respect  of 
the  enemy,  who  had  now  paused,  in  front  of  the  dark 
woods  which  hid  it,  for  five  days.  Following  the  summit 
of  the  hills  in  the  disposition  of  his  troops,  Sullivan  had 
placed  the  regiment  on  his  right  facing  obliquely  his 
centre  and  left.  Along  his  front  the  trees  had  been  felled ; 
and  rude  fortifications  had  been  made  of  tlieir  trunks,  while 
the  branches  had  been  hastily  arranged  in  a  line  of  abatis. 

I^Tear  the  redoubt,  in  front  of  the  lines,  had  stood  the  great 
white  oak  which  had  become  historical  as  a  monumental 
tree,  being  named  in  the  patent  of  Gov.  Dongan  which 
established  the  boundary  lines  of  Brooklyn.  The  stern 
exigencies  of  war  had  called  for  its  sacrifice ;  and  its  great 
branches,  filling  the  narrow  lane,  proved  a  formidable 
though  a  temporary  obstacle  to  the  enemy's  advance.  A 
nearly  impassable  swamp,  on  the  east  of  the  road,  added 
such  strength  to  that  part  of  the  front  as  confirmed  the 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  167 

Americans  in  the  belief  that  Valley  Grove  would  be  the 
route  of  the  assaulting  column. 

The  intrenchments  at  this  place  were  of  the  slightest 
character  which  could  be  dignified  with  the  term,  as  it 
formed  no  part  of  Washington's  design  that  they  should 
be  occupied,  except  as  exterior  lines,  from  which  his  troops 
would  retreat  to  the  inner  and  strongly  intrenched  line  of 
defense.  Still,  the  Americans  had  not  been  entirely  idle, 
as  shallow  pits  thrown  up  along  the  front  attested.  These 
were  sufficiently  imposing  to  give  a  momentary  check  to 
an  enemy  advancing  upon  the  front.  The  great  strength 
of  the  position,  however,  lay  in  its  mystery;  and  that 
uncertainty  made  the  dense  woods  of  the  Flatbush  hills  an 
object  of  dread  to  the  British  commander,  as  his  long 
delay  and  cautious  approaches  fully  proved.  The  field  of 
slaughter  on  Charleston  heights  was  still  present  to  his 
imagination,  and  made  him  wary  of  another  encounter, 
which  might  prove  as  formidable  and  as  inglorious. 

One  scanty  regiment  of  Sullivan's  command  stretched 
along  the  brow  of  the  hill,  on  either  side  of  the  Flatbush 
road,  three  or  four  hundred  feet  south  of  its  junction 
with  the  Porte  road.  Two  regiments,  on  the  left,  pro- 
longed the  line  to  the  east  of  the  Flatbush  road  for  nearly 
a  mile;  while  the  First  Pennsylvania  regiment,  com- 
manded by  Col.  Miles,  occupied  the  extreme  left,  nearly 
a  mile  further  east,  where  their  position  was  intersected  by 
the  Clove  Koad,  half  a  mile  south  of  Bedford.^ 

*  Among  tlie  combatants  on  tlie  side  of  tlie  Americans  were  a  number  of 
Indians  of  the  friendly  tribes.  This  fact  is  stated  by  Col.  Guy  Johnston,  in 
his  letter  to  Lord  Germaine,  in  which  he  affirms  that  several  Indians  were 
taken  prisoners  by  the  British  in  the  battle  of  Long  Island.—  Col.  Hist,  of 
New  York,  vol.  viii,  p.  741. 


168  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

The  right  wing  of  Sullivan's  command  was  therefore 
supposed  to  rest  upon  Stirling's  left,  while  the  other  wing 
hung  suspended  in  air.  Three  miles  of  front  were  occu- 
pied by  four  regiments  of  raw  provincial  troops,  with 
many  a  long  break  between ;  while,  but  little  more  than  a 
mile  distant,  seventeen  thousand  British  soldiers  awaited 
the  signal  for  assault. 

On  the  23d,  Washington  in  general  orders  had  addressed 
to  his  army  a  solemn  appeal,  in  which  every  sentiment  that 
dignifies  humanity  was  called  into  requisition,  to  fill  the 
hearts  of  his  soldiers  with  firmness  and  courage.  "  The 
enemy  have  now  landed  on  Long  Island  ;  and  the  hour  is 
fast  approaching  on  which  the  honor  and  success  of  this 
army,  and  the  safety  of  our  bleeding  country,  depend. 
Remember,  officers  and  soldiers,  that  you  are  free  men, 
fighting  for  the  blessings  of  liberty ;  that  slavery  will  be 
your  portion,  and  that  of  your  posterity,  if  you  do  not 
acquit  yourselves  like  men.  Eemember  how  your  courage 
and  spirit  have  been  despised  and  traduced  by  your  cruel 
invaders  ;  though  they  have  found  by  dear  experience,  at 
Boston,  Charleston,  and  other  places,  what  a  few  men, 
contending  in  their  own  land,  and  in  the  best  of  causes, 
can  do  against  hirelings  and  mercenaries.  Be  cool  but 
determined ;  do  not  fire  at  a  distance,  but  wait  for  orders 
from  your  officers.  It  is  the  General's  express  order  that 
if  any  man  attempt  to  skulk,  lie  down,  or  retreat  without 


That  Gen.  Washington  contemplated  the  employment  of  Indians  in  the 
American  service,  and  was  only  deterred  by  his  conviction  of  the  impossi- 
bility of  depending  upon  them  for  other  purposes  than  plunder  and  mas- 
sacre, we  learn  from  his  own  letters. —  Sparks' s  Letters  of  Washington,  vol. 
Ill,  p.  431. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  169 

orders,  he  be  instantly  shot  down  as  an  example.  He 
hopes  no  such  will  be  found  in  this  army,  but  on  the  con- 
trary that  every  one  for  himself  resolving  to  conquer  or 
die,  and  trusting  in  the  smiles  of  heaven  upon  so  just  a 
cause,  will  behave  with  bravery  and  resolution."  It  was 
now  evident  to  the  Commander-in-chief  that  the  assault 
upon  his  lines,  so  long  impending,  would  be  but  little 
longer  delayed. 

For  five  days  the  white  tents  of  the  enemy  had  covered 
the  plain  beneath  the  hills,  almost  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
distinguish  their  form.  Five  miles  to  the  south  they 
stretched,  in  an  unbroken  line,  to  the  hamlet  of  Flatlands ; 
and  nearly  as  far  to  the  south-west,  where  the  little  cluster 
of  farm-houses  showed  the  site  of  the  Dutch  village  of 
Gravesend,  their  canvass  walls  glistened  in  the  sun.  The 
roll  of  the  enemy's  drums,  the  rattle  of  arms  and  accou- 
trements in  the  daily  parade,  and  the  shout  of  command, 
rose  faintly  to  the  ear  from  the  wide  plain ;  and  sight  and 
sound  combined  to  exhibit  to  the  sadly  thin  and  feeble 
lines  of  the  American  army  on  the  hills,  what  a  vast 
armament,  what  gigantic  forces,  could  in  a  single  hour  be 
hurled  upon  them. 

It  will  be  seen,  from  the  preceding  narrative,  that  the 
position  of  the  American  army  on  the  morning  of  the  27th 
of  August  was  one  of  appalling  danger,  of  the  extent  of 
which,  however,  not  one  of  its  officers  or  men  was  yet  con- 
scious. IS^o  other  portion  of  it  was  so  completely  isolated 
as  was  Stirling's  division. 

As  already  narrated.  Gen.  Putnam  had  hastened  to  give 
Lord  Stirling  orders  to  advance,  immediately  on  hearing 
of  the  approach  of  the  enemy  at  Martense's  lane.  Lord 
22 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Stirling  was  encamped  outside  the  intrenchments,  and,  as 
he  commanded  the  right  wing,  was  doubtless  occupying 
the  junction  of  the  Gowanus  and  Porte  roads. 

The  repulse  of  Cornwallis  at  Valley  Grove,  and  the 
skirmish  near  the  Red  Lion  Inn  on  the  night  of  the  26th, 
were  believed  to  show  movements  of  heads  of  columns, 
pushed  forward  to  feel  the  position  of  the  American  troops, 
preparatory  to  an  attack  in  force.  Gen.  Putnam,  whose 
notions  of  military  affairs  were  confined  to  the  simple 
tactics  of  fighting  the  enemy  whenever  and  wherever  he 
challenged,  at  once  determined  to  order  forward  all  his 
disposable  troops.  Putnam's  mind  was  entirely  pre-occu- 
pied  by  the  opinion  which  he  had  formed  that  the  grand 
attack  would  be  made  on  the  Gowanus  road,  where  the  as- 
saulting column  could  be  protected  by  the  guns  of  the  fleet. 
This  opinion  he  retained,  although  Gen.  Sullivan  had 
strongly  pressed  upon  his  attention  the  necessity  of  guard- 
ing the  Jamaica  pass.  At  three  o'clock  Lord  Stirling,  who 
had  been  aroused  in  his  tent  by  Gen.  Putnam  in  person,  was 
informed  by  him  that  an  important  movement  of  the 
enemy  had  commenced  on  the  extreme  right,  and  that  they 
were  advancing  in  force  through  the  Gowanus  road  from 
Flatbush.  Stirling  was  directed  to  proceed  at  once  with 
the  two  nearest  regiments,  and  take  such  a  position  as 
would  hold  them  in  check. 

Atlee's  Pennsylvania  and  Smallwood's  Maryland  regi- 
ments, with  Col.  Haslett's  Delaware  battalion,  composed 
the  column  which  Lord  Stirling  led  on  this  eventful  morn- 
ing. Cols.  Smallwood  and  Haslett  had  been  detained  in  the 
city  on  the  night  of  the  26th,  being  engaged  in  official 
duty  at  the  court-martial  then  sitting  for  the  trial  of 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


171 


Lieut-Col.  Zedwitz.  At  the  rising  of  the  court  it  was 
too  late,  as  Col.  Smallwood  asserts,  for  crossing  the  East 
River  to  Brooklyn ;  but  pushing  over  early  next  morning 
they  joined  their  regiments  on  the  field  of  battle,  while 
these  were  warmly  engaged  in  repelling  the  first  attack. 

It  is  pleasant  at  this  day,  when  all  the  mysterious  craft 
and  subtlety  of  the  British  plans  of  battle  are  unveiled  to 
us — when  we  see  how  surely  and  resistlessly  that  terrible 
force  had  closed  around  the  feeble  ranks  of  the  Ameri- 
cans— to  notice  the  complaisant  and  honest  confidence  ot 
these  young  warriors  in  their  own  prowess ;  the  vigor  and 
power  of  which,  they  firmly  believed,  kept  the  British 
Lion  at  bay  for  six  long  hours.  The  mutual  compliments 
of  these  brave  Southerners  had  excited  their  vanity,  but 
nothing  could  lessen  their  fervent  courage.  "  We  were 
much  caressed  by  the  Southern  troops,"  says  Col.  Haslett 
in  a  letter  written  a  few  months"  after  the  battle,  "  and 
highly  complimented  on  our  appearance  and  dexterity. 
Though  six  times  our  number,  the  enemy  did  not  dare 
advance  and  attack  us." 

Col.  Smallwood  is  more  reserved  in  his  expressions  of 
assurance,  in  a  letter  written  about  the  same  time, 
which  is  by  far  the  most  satisfactory  of  the  current  ac- 
counts of  the  conflict.  His  succinct  and  graphic  narration 
of  the  battle  of  Gowanus  indicates  a  clear  eye,  and  an 
educated  and  thoughtful  brain,  through  which  a  suspicion 
of  the  enemy's  crafty  purposes  seems  to  have  strayed. 

There  is  something  strangely  afiecting  in  the  language 
of  the  Maryland  council  of  safety,  on  announcing  to 
their  delegate  in  Congress  that  the  State  quota  of  troops 
had  been  raised,  when  we  recall  the  heroic  devotion 


172 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


and  the  sad  fate  of  the  noble  youths  who  filled  their  ranks: 
"  We  shall  have  near  four  thousand  men  with  you  in  a  short 
time.  This  exceeds  our  proportion  for  the  flying-camp ; 
but  we  are  sending  all  that  we  have,  that  can  be  armed 
and  equipped,  and  the  people  of  I^"ew  York,  for  whom  we 
have  great  affection,  can  have  no  more  than  our  all." 

Hastily  forming  these  forces,  Stirling  pushed  on  to  the 
ground  lately  occupied  by  Col.  Atlee's  picket  corps.  In 
his  letter  to  Washington,  written  from  on  board  the  ene- 
my's fleet,  while  a  prisoner  of  war,  he  says  that  the  enemy 
were  then  approaching  on  the  road  from  Flatbush  to  the 
Red  Lion  Tavern.^ 

Half  a  mile  before  reaching  that  point,  Stirling  was 
met  by  Colonel  Atlee's  battalion,  then  slowly  retiring 
from  the  advancing  enemy,  whose  front  was  just  discern- 
ible to  the  General  in  the  gray  dawn,  approaching  between 
him  and  the  E-ed  Lion.  The  line  of  battle  was  at  once 
formed,  at  right  angles  to  the  shore  road,  from  the  bay  to 
the  summit  of  the  hills  near  the  present  western  boundary 
of  Greenwood  Cemetery.^ 

Col.  Atlee's  command  was  sent  forward  as  a  skirmish 
line,  and  took  position  on  'the  left  of  the  road,  in  the 

^  Enclosed  with  this  communication  was  a  list  of  the  several  battalions 
and  companies ;  on  which  Col.  Smallwood's  battalion  is  rated  at  nine  com- 
panies, of  seventy-six  men  each,  or  a  total  strength  of  six  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  men.  It  is  probable  that  on  the  27th  of  August  this  battalion  did  not 
nimiber  more  than  four  hundred  and  fifty.    See  Document  33. 

Colonel  Samuel  J.  Atlee  has  left  an  interesting  journal  of  the  events  of 
the  26th  of  August,  which  will  be  found  in  Document  16. 

This  statement  indicates  very  clearly  to  us  two  points  of  interest : 
First,  that  part  of  Gen.  Grant's  forces  marched  from  Flatbush  through 
Martense's  lane,  a  narrow  road  that  skirts  the  southern  boundary  of  Green- 
wood Cemetery ;  and,  Second,  that  the  Red  Lion  Tavern  was  situated  near 
the  junction  of  Martense's  lane  with  the  Gowanus  road. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  173 

orchard  of  Wynant  Beonet;  while  a  portion  of  the  Mary- 
land regiment  occupied  a  curve  of  the  road  at  the  foot  of 
Twenty-third  street,  over  a  sand-hill  called  Bluckie's  Bar- 
racks. Lord  Stirling  in  person  led  Smallwood's  and  Has- 
lett's  regiments  up  the  hills  to  the  left,  and  placed  them  in 
position  in  the  woods  along  the  slope,  to  the  top  of  the  ridge. 

The  force  now  opposing  Stirling  was  commanded  by 
Gen.  Grant,  an  officer  who,  like  many  other  gallant 
gentlemen  on  either  side,  had  served'  with  distinction  in 
the  American  campaigns  against  the  French.  His  expe- 
rience of  American  soldiership  does  not  seem  to  have  left 
a  flattering  impression  upon  his  mind;  as  he  once  rose  in 
his  place  in  Parliament,  when  American  affairs  were  under 
discussion,  and  declared  that  with  five  thousand  British 
troops  he  would  march  from  one  end  of  the  continent  to 
the  other.  In  the  gallery  of  the  House  of  Commons,  on 
that  occasion,  sat  a  spectator  who  heard  these  contemptu- 
uous  words,  and  who  on  this  day  marshaled  a  few  hundred 
of  the  militia,  so  much  despised,  to  meet  in  battle  this  proud 
boaster. 

When  forming  his  troops  in  line  of  battle,  Lord  Stirling 
addressed  them,  and  repeated  the  bravado  which  he  had 
heard  from  the  lips  of  the  General  whom  they  were  about  to 
meet.  "  He  may  have,"  added  Stirling,  "  his  five  thousand 
men  with  him  now ;  we  are  not  so  many,  but  I  think  we 
are  enough  to  prevent  his  advancing  further  over  the  con- 
tinent than  that  mill-pond." 

Gen.  Grant's  force  consisted  of  two  brigades  and  one 
regiment,  with  ten  field-pieces.  Accompanying  his  column 
were  also  two  companies  of  N"ew  York  provincials, 
which  had  been  raised  by  the  exertions  of  Gov.  Tryon,  and 


174  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  members  of  which  were  now  about  to  imbrue  their 
hands  in  the  blood  of  their  countrymen.  On  the  heights  of 
Gowanus,  for  the  first  time  in  the  I^orthern  States,  Ame- 
ricans were  arrayed  against  each  other  in  battle.  Some  of 
these,  doubtless,  were  neighbors  and  former  friends  of 
those  in  the  American  ranks;  who,  on  the  approach  of  the 
enemy  to  Long  Island,  had  hastened  to  array  themselves  in 
the  invaders'  forces.  In  the  roll  of  iufamy  which  tradition 
has  preserved,  the  name  of  Carpenter  is  prominent,  as  a 
traitor  who  guided  the  enemy  through  the  narrow  and 
intricate  country  roads.  Whether  this  tory-corps  was 
commanded  by  a  refugee  officer,  or  by  one  of  foreign  birth, 
it  is  scarcely  possible  now  to  learn ;  and  not  less  obscure 
is  the  nature  of  its  service  on  that  day. 

Lord  Stirling's  line  at  this  time  formed  two  sides  of  a 
triangle,  of  which  the  hypothenuse  was  a  line  drawn  from 
the  Flatbush  road,  near  its  junction  with  the  Porte  road, 
to  the  shore  of  the  bay,  near  the  foot  of  Twenty-third 
street.  The  advanced  angle  at  the  centre  was  yet  unpro- 
tected by  the  two-gun  battery  which  had  been  ordered  up. 
From  this  point  to  the  shore  of  Gowanus  bay  was  a  dis- 
tance of  half  a  mile,  along  which  the  front  was  now 
warmly  engaged.  The  right  wing,  resting  on  the  bay, 
occupied  the  curving  road  which  has  already  been  de- 
scribed as  passing  over  Bluckie's  Barracks. 

The  security  of  this  position  from  an  assault  in  front, 
increased  by  a  salt  creek  setting  up  into  the  land  four  or 
five  hundred  feet,  made  it  one  of  no  insignificant  strength; 
so  that  later  in  the  day  the  torrent  of  war  sweeping 
around  it  left  it  unassailed.  From  the  top  of  the  hills  the 
line  bent  northerly,  along  the  high  ground,  to  near  the 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  175 

junction  of  Fiftli  avenue  and  Third  street.  This  part 
of  the  line  was  held  by  reserves  —  a  portion  of  the  Dela- 
ware battalion,  and  such  supporting  troops  as  Putnam 
could  spare  from  the  intrenchments. 

The  left  wing,  it  will  be  seen,  occupied  a  long  irregular 
line,  in  which  were  breaks  of  perilous  length,  of  which  the 
Hessians  later  in  the  day  took  fatal  advantage.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  peculiar  formation  of  the  line,  the  extreme 
left  wing  was  nearer  to  the  extreme  right  than  to  the  centre, 
and  when  called  into  action  to  reinforce  the  front,  actually 
exchanged  positions.  From  this  circumstance  the  accounts 
of  the  Gowanus  battle  have  been  found  so  conflicting  as 
to  be  almost  incomprehensible,  and  its  varying  phases  can 
only  be  thus  explained.  It  was  in  consequence  of  this 
that  a  portion  of  the  Delaware  battalion  met  and  repulsed 
the  advanced  squads  of  the  Second  British  grenadiers  on 
the  extreme  left,  near  Tenth  street  and  Fifth  avenue. 

While  Stirling's  line  was  forming,  the  enemy  advanced 
upon  Atlee  in  such  force  that,  after  a  sharp  conflict,  he 
was  compelled  to  retreat  a  short  distance,  to  Bluckie's 
Barracks,  then  covered  with  forest  trees. 

At  this  moment  Kichline's  riflemen  had  arrived ;  and, 
taking  position  along  a  hedge  at  the  foot  of  the  hills,  they 
opened  an  effective  fire  upon  the  light  troops  of  the  British, 
which  occupied  the  orchard  from  which  Atlee  had  been 
driven.  Opportunely  for  the  enemy,  his  advance  had  en- 
abled him  to  occupy  a  hedge  bordering  a  stone  wall,  which 
extended  along  Stirling's  front,  a  few  minutes  before  Kich- 
line's arrival.  For  two  hours,  heavy  skirmishing  conti- 
nued between  these  light  troops,  and  here,  tradition  says, 
the  enemy  met  with  considerable  loss  from  the  American 


276  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

rifles.  Several  of  the  old  inhabitants  of  Gowanus,  who 
visited  the  battle-ground  after  the  retreat  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, have  left  their  positive  testimony  upon  this  point. 

While  Kichline's  rifles  were  repelling  the  enemy's  light 
troops,  Capt.  Carpenter  had,  with  mueh  difficulty,  brought 
two  field-pieces  into  position  upon  the  hill,  and  opened 
fire  upon  the  enemy's  cover.  The  combined  fire  of  Kich- 
line's  rifles,  the  musketry  volleys  on  the  right,  and  the 
plunging  shot  from  Carpenter's  guns,  made  the  position 
so  hot  that  the  British  advance  was  compelled  to  retreat 
upon  the  main  body,  and  the  orchard  was  immediately 
re-occupied  by  Atlee's  battalion. 

The  British  General  met  this  resistance  with  a  fire  from 
two  guns  only,  although  at  one  time  he  advanced  a  how- 
itzer to  within  three  hundred  yards  of  the  right  of  the 
Americans.  Another  two-gun  battery  was  sent  into  the 
woods  on  their  left,  where  it  took  up  a  position  about  a 
third  of  a  mile  distant.  Without  material  change  in  the 
front  of  either  army,  the  contest  continued  for  six  hours, 
although  the  enemy  outnumbered  the  Americans  five  to 
one.  It  is  now  known  that  Gen.  Grant  had  received  or- 
ders not  to  push  Stirling's  division,  but  merely  to  keep  it 
in  check.  The  British  line  of  battle  in  front  of  that  di- 
vision changed  but  little,  therefore,  during  the  morning. 

One  of  Gen.  Grant's  brigades  was  formed  in  two  lines, 
opposite  to  the  American  right;  and  the  remainder  of  his 
force  extended,  in  a  single  line,  through  the  Greenwood 
Cemetery  hills,  in  front  of  the  rest  of  Stirling's  line.  Thus 
ever  threatening  an  advance,  but  still  appearing  to  warily 
decline  it,  while  exposed  to  the  deadly  fire  of  the  Ameri- 
can riflemen,  the  British  General  tormented  his  foe  with 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  177 

the  ceaseless  apprehension  of  an  immediate  assault.  !N"o 
warning  had  yet  reached  the  American  commander  con- 
cerning the  purpose  of  this  threatening  hesitation.  To  us 
looking  back  upon  it,  it  has  a  dark  and  portentous  signifi- 
cance, more  impressive  and  awe-inspiring  than  the  fiercest 
shock  of  battle.  That  long  thin  line  of  Stirling's  com- 
mand stood  strained  and  nerved  for  the  mad  rush  of 
combat,  until  the  very  waiting  had  fatally  exhausted  the 
energies  of  his  men.  For  two  long  hours  succeeding  the 
retirement  of  the  enemy's  light  troops,  nothing  but  the 
exchange  of  cannon  shot  at  long  range  had  occupied  the 
attention  of  the  belligerents,  except  when  the  distant  roar 
of  musketry  and  field  guns  told  that  Gen.  Sullivan's  troops 
had  work  in  hand. 

Thus  stood  affairs  in  this  part  of  the  battle-field  at  9 
o'clock,  A.M.,  when  the  thunder  of  great  guns  on  the  bay 
gave  notice  that  a  new  enemy  had  arrived  upon  the  scene 
of  action,  and  was  adding  another  element  of  dread  to 
the  fast  accumulating  horrors  of  the  day.  The  Roebuck, 
man-of-war,  had  with  great  difficulty  and  labor  at  length 
crept  within  range  of  the  redoubt  on  Red  Hook,  and  a 
combat  at  once  opened  between  them. 

Admiral  Lord  Howe  had  early  in  the  day  attempted  to 
bring  his  vessels  up  the  bay,  into  supporting  distance ;  but 
a  strong  north  wind,  combining  with  the  ebb  tide,  pre- 
vented them  from  passing  more  than  a  mile  or  two  above 
the  I^'arrows.  From  the  mast-head  of  the  ships  the  en- 
gagement of  Grant's  column  was  plainly  visible  to  their 
crews,  and  their  eagerness  to  participate  in  the  contest 
was  doubtless  but  little  less  than  that  of  their  Admiral, 
while  his  anxiety  for  the  success  of  his  brother's  move- 
23 


l>^g  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

ments,  rendered  doubly  hazardous  by  the  uncertainty  of  a 
night  attack,  was  very  great.  Every  eflbrt  was  therefore 
made  to  bring  the  fleet  into  a  position  for  taking  part  in 
the  engagement.  But  Lord  Howe,  convinced  at  last  of 
the  futility  of  further  trial,  reluctantly  gave  the  signal  to 
come  to  anchor. 

Had  the  attempt  succeeded,  and  the  terrible  broadsides 
of  five  men-of-war  been  opened  upon  the  wavering  line  of 
militia,  the  contest,  which  was  so  soon  to  terminate  in 
slaughter  and  defeat,  would  have  had  a  quicker  and  a  still 
bloodier  close.  Anchored  at  less  than  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  from  the  scene  of  conflict,  two  hundred  guns  would 
have  added  their  terrors  to  a  battle-field  around  which  so 
dense  and  fiery  a  gloom  was  even  now  gathering.  As  the 
morning  advanced,  the  guns  of  the  Roebuck,  which  had 
led  the  fleet  four  or  five  miles,  opened  upon  the  redoubt 
at  Red  Hook,  the  artillerymen  of  which  had  made  several 
efforts  to  reach  her  with  their  long-range  cannon.  What 
was  the  effect  of  their  fire  upon  the  Roebuck  is  not  posi- 
tively known;  but  she  could  have  been  only  slightly 
injured,  as  a  few  day^  after  she  took  part  in  the  attack 
upon  the  American  lines  on  Manhattan  Island.  The 
redoubt,  however,  did  not  escape  uninjured  from  the  fire 
of  the  Roebuck;  as  Cols.  Mifflin  and  Grayson,  who  visited 
it  on  the  next  day,  found  it  greatly  damaged. 

The  roar  of  ordnance  from  the  little  redoubt  on  Red 
Hook,  answered  by  the  thunder  of  the  great  guns  from  the 
decks  of  the  Roebuck,  far  on  the  right ;  the  crash  of  Grant's 
well  served  artillery  in  front,  gallantly  but  feebly  returned 
by  the  two-gun  battery  on  Greenwood  heights ;  the  per- 
sistent duel  between  Sullivan's  and  De  Heister's  cannon 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  179 

and  rifles,  which  during  four  hours  of  combat  had  not 
changed  position  on  the  left — all  combined  to  convince 
Stirling  that  he  was  well  maintaining  his  post,  and  that  the 
advance  of  the  enemy  was  everywhere  checked.  Between 
10  and  11  o'clock  an  incident  occurred,  however,  which, 
had  he  been  fully  informed  of  the  character  of  the  enemy's 
troops  engaged,  should  have  awakened  distrust. 

The  Delaware  battalion,  under  Colonel  Haslett,  com- 
posed largely  of  raw  Irishmen  who  had  still  to  be  taught 
how  to  load  a  musket,  had  remained  in  reserve  on  the 
left  of  Stirling's  line,  near  the  Porte  road.  At  11  o'clock 
they  were  ordered  to  the  front,  to  reinforce  the  centre  and 
left,  now  becoming  weak  and  thin  under  the  fire  of  five 
times  their  number  for  nearly  six  hours.  At  this  time 
Admiral  Howe  was  reinforcing  Grant  with  two  thousand 
men,  landed  from  boats  in  Bennet's  Cove ;  and  it  was  to  re- 
sist their  attack  that  the  Delaware  reserve  was  ordered  up. 

Detachments  from  De  Heister's  column,  which  had 
been  pushed  forward  through  the  wood  from  the  hills  near 
the  Porte  road,  with  the  intention  of  forming  a  junction 
with  Grant,  whose  position  was  readily  ascertained  by  the 
firing,  encountered  the  left  of  the  Delaware  battalion  near 
Tenth  street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  at  about  the  same  time 
that  the  British  were  landing  from  the  boats.  One  of  these 
detachments,  commanded  by  Capt.  Wragg,  mistaking  the 
Delaware  soldiers  for  Hessian  troops,  and  approaching  so 
near  as  to  be  incapable  of  retreat,  surrendered. 

Lieut.  Popham  was  detached  with  a  guard  to  convey 
the  prisoners  to  the  lines ;  and  he  graphically  describes  his 
march  from  the  high  ground  to  the  salt  meadow,  and  his 
passage  across  the  mouth  of  Gowanus  creek,  in  silk  stock- 


130  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

ings  and  small  clotlies.  He  and  his  prisoners  narrowly 
escaped  from  drowning,  in  the  deep  mud  and  water ;  and, 
to  heighten  the  danger,  the  enemy,  discovering  the  move- 
ment, opened  upon  them  a  fire  from  a  two-gun  battery  on 
the  hills.  The  British  Captain,  hoping  from  this  circum- 
stance that  a  rescue  would  be  effected,  paused  in  the 
middle  of  the  creek ;  but  he  relinquished  his  hopes  on 
being  informed  by  Popham  that  he  would  be  instantly 
put  to  death  should  he  attempt  an  escape.  The  gallant 
young  Lieutenant  would  not  relinquish  the  British  officers, 
and  their  accoutrements,  although  sinking  in  the  mud  and 
water,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  arrive  safely  in  the 
lines  with  his  prisoners. 

This  incident,  of  Wragg's  capture,  was  occasioned  by 
an  order  from  the  Colonel  of  the  Second  British  grenadiers, 
which  had  received  several  severe  fires  from  the  Dela- 
ware battalion  without  returning  them,  as  its  blue  uni- 
form, faced  with  red,  very  nearly  resembled  the  Hessian 
dress.  Capt.  Wragg  was  despatched  to  inform  the  sup- 
posed German  corps  of  its  mistake.  Before  the  fatal 
error  was  discovered,  the  grenadiers  had  lost  several  offi- 
cers and  men ;  but  they  were  able  soon  afterward  to  obtain 
their  revenge,  by  attacking  and  dispersing  this  small  and 
untrained  detachment. 

While  Stirling  and  Grant  are  parrying  or  receiving 
blows,  and  the  Roebuck  menaces  the  Red  Hook  redoubt, 
let  us  turn  to  another  portion  of  the  field,  on  the  Flatbush 
hills,  where  sunrise  had  found  Sullivan  in  arms  awaiting 
his  Hessian  foe.  The  morning  which  broke  upon  the 
scene  disclosed  no  change  in  the  position  of  the  enemy. 
For  five  mornings  had  Sullivan's  detachment  awaited  the 


> 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  181 

shock  of  battle ;  and  the  long  mid-summer  days  had  waned 
and  closed  without  its  coming.  But  on  this,  indications  of 
its  nearness  made  every  soldier  conscious  that  the  sun  of 
that  day  would  not  set  on  a  bloodless  field.  During  the 
night  the  rattle  of  a  skirmish  fire  had  occasionally  been 
heard,  two  or  three  miles  away  upon  the  right,  somewhere 
near  the  Red  Lion  Tavern.  The  head  of  the  enemy's 
column  was  doubtless  feeling  its  way  into  the  lines  in  that 
direction ;  but  as  the  pattering  fire  approaching  no  nearer, 
the  soldiers  thought  "  Old  Put  "  was  probably  holding  the 
attacking  force  in  check.  As  the  sun  crept  above  the 
horizon,  the  scattering,  irregular  discharges  from  the 
Greenwood  heights  had  grown  in  volume  into  heavy  and 
regular  volleys,  to  which  soon  after  was  added  the  boom  of 
cannon.  Meantime,  ominous  movements  in  the  plain 
below  indicated  that  Sullivan's  men  would  not  long  be 
idle.  As  the  vast  camp  of  the  enemy  came  clearly  into 
view,  no  indications  appeared  of  the  absence  from  it  of 
eight  thousand  troops,  and  no  thought  of  a  movement  so 
threatening  as  this  vacancy  would  have  revealed  seems  to 
have  crossed  the  mind  of  officer  or  private. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  movement  of  Gen.  De  Heis- 
ter's  command  left  no  room  for  doubt  of  his  intentions. 
The  hour  had  arrived  for  his  assault ;  and,  presently,  long 
columns  of  the  German  troops  were  seen  forming  in  the 
streets  and  fields  of  Flatbush.  The  yagers  deployed 
right  and  left  of  the  Brooklyn  road  as  skirmishers,  and 
the  grenadiers  were  pushed  forward  to  support  them.  In 
the  centre  of  the  advance  several  pieces  of  artillery  took 
position,  and  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  opened  fire 
upon  the  American  lines.    Here  De  Heister's  main  column 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

halted,  as  if  awaiting  further  preparations  for  the  assault ; 
and  his  martinet  subordinates  dressed  their  companies  in 
line,  as  if  upon  drill  parade.  The  ardor  of  Col.  Donop 
was  too  great  for  endurance  of  this  long  delay,  of  the 
important  significance  of  which  the  Hessian  subordinates, 
as  well  as  the  Americans,  were  probably  entirely  igno- 
rant. Col.  Donop  solicited  and  obtained  permission  from 
General  De  Heister  to  lead  forward  the  sharpshooters  and 
grenadiers.  The  fame  of  this  brave  officer  is  clouded  by 
the  atrocities  of  this  day,  which  he  sanctioned  by  his 
presence,  if  he  did  not  even  command  their  perpetration. 
The  latter  has  been  charged,  and  never  denied.  Fate 
pursued  him  to  Fort  Mifflin  and  Red  Bank,  where,  a  year 
afterwards,  he  fell  a  victim  to  his  own  cruelty,  having  an- 
nounced to  the  garrison  that  if  they  resisted  his  assault  no 
quarter  would  be  granted. 

His  eagerness  on  this  occasion  was  not  permitted  to 
thwart  the  plans  of  Gen.  Howe,  whose  orders  to  Gen.  De 
Heister  were  peremptory  that  the  Americans  must  not  be 
pressed,  until  the  flanking  column  of  Sir  Henry  Clinton 
had  given  the  preconcerted  signal  that  he  had  cut  the  line 
of  their  communications  with  the  intrenchments.  Col. 
Donop  was  therefore  not  permitted  at  this  time  to  press  the 
American  riflemen  further  than  to  the  edge  of  the  woods, 
where  a  sharp  skirmish,  at  medium  rifle-range,  was  kept 
up  for  nearly  two  hours.  In  the  meantime  the  guns  of  the 
redoubt  were  replying  to  De  Heister's  cannon,  although 
their  small  calibre,  and  probably  inefficient  service,  per- 
mitted them  to  be  of  but  little  use. 

It  was  already  9  o'clock,  when  a  sound  was  heard  that 
carried  dismay  into  the  ranks  of  the  harassed  American 


r 

INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  183 

troops.  Above  the  spattering  fire  of  rifle  shots,  and  the 
roar  of  light  field-pieces,  was  heard  the  booming  of  two 
heavy  guns,  far  in  the  rear,  proceeding  from  a  point  near 
the  junction  of  the  Flatbush  and  Bedford  roads. 

The  appalling  fact  that  the  enemy  had  turned  the 
American  flank,  and  was  now  pressing  upon  their  rear, 
became  more  evident  when  the  bands  of  De  Heister  burst 
forth  into  the  wildest  strains  of  martial  music;  and,  in  an 
instant,  his  heavy  columns,  so  long  repressed,  wheeled, 
right  and  left  into  line  of  battle,  and  pushed  steadily  for- 
ward. The  long  inaction  was  over.  The  mystery  which 
had  masked  this  ever-threatening  yet  ever  delayed  assault 
was  suddenly  cleared  away.  Gen  Sullivan,  whose  anxiety 
to  pierce  it  could  no  longer  be  restrained,  had,  not  long 
before,  at  the  head  of  four  hundred  men,  pushed  forward 
on  a  reconnoissance.  Unfortunately  for  us  at  this  day,  this 
gallant  General,  in  his  brief  account  of  his  misfortune, 
made  long  after  to  Congress,  was  more  anxious  to  in- 
culpate Gen.  Putnam  than  to  render  a  careful  report  of 
the  changing  aspects  of  that  fatal  field.  Embittered  by 
the  elevation  of  Putnam  to  the  chief  command,  as  his 
own  letters  fully  attest,  he  exhibited  a  petty  resentment 
for  which  nothing  but  his  self-devoted  courage  could 
atone.  What  were  the  direction  and  purpose  of  his  recon- 
noissance we  can  now  only  conjecture.  The  fact  that  his 
left  was  more  open  to  attack,  not  only  from  the  isolation 
of  those  regiments  which  formed  it,  but  from  his  belief 
that  the  extension  of  Stirling's  left  gave  complete  security 
to  the  other  portion  of  his  line,  renders  it  nearly  certain 
that  his  reconnoissance  was  made  to  the  east  of  the  centre, 
along  the  slope  of  the  hills  in  front  of  his  lines.  The 


jg4  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

period  chosen  for  the  movement  was  most  unfortunate ;  as 
twelve  thousand  of  the  enemy's  troops  were  closing  around 
his  little  army,  separated,  by  an  impassable  cordon,  from 
its  leader,  and  from  its  lines  of  retreat. 

Col.  Donop,  at  the  head  of  the  Hessian  riflemen  and 
grenadiers,  now  dashed  forward  to  the  south  of  the  Porte 
road,  and  entered  the  woods,  driving  the  American  rifle- 
men before  him,  from  the  logs,  or  clumps  of  trees  and 
thickets,  behind  which  they  had  lain  concealed.  These 
slight  covers  were  immediately  occupied  by  the  yagers, 
who  had  been  instructed  to  imitate  the  American  tactics 
of  irregular  skirmishers;  and,  accordingly,  after  delivering 
their  fire  from  such  points  as  offered  concealment  or  pro- 
tection, these  active  troops  sprang  rapidly  forward  to 
similar  covers  in  advance.  The  grenadiers,  with  fixed 
bayonets,  followed  close  behind,  in  well-dressed  lines, 
which  they  were  as  solicitous  to  preserve,  while  they 
charged  through  the  thick  woods,  as  if  they  had  been 
upon  parade. 

The  advanced  riflemen  of  Sullivan  were  thus  soon  driven 
in  upon  the  main  body,  now  greatly  weakened  by  the  with- 
drawal of  the  four  hundred  men  engaged  in  the  General's 
reconnoissance. 

I^early  five  hours  of  conflict,  less  sanguinary  than 
they  had  been  exhausting,  had  now  elapsed ;  and  during 
this  time  the  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy,  whose 
progress  we  have  previously  traced,  had,  as  we  have  shown, 
unconsciously  to  the  Americans,  gathered  upon  their  rear 
and  flanks. 

Sir  Henry  Clinton's  and  Cornwallis'  massive  columns, 
more  than  three  times  outnumbering  their  opponents,  had 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  185 

marched  from  Bedford  to  the  junction  of  the  Flatbush  and 
Jamaica  roads,  across  which  they  had  pushed  their  ad- 
vance guards.  The  British  line,  therefore,  now  stretched 
for  nearly  two  miles  between  these  points,  at  the  distance 
of  half  a  mile  from  the  rear  of  the  Americans,  who,  by  this 
silent  and  masterly  movement,  had  been  fatally  inclosed 
within  the  encompassing  folds.  The  advance  guard — tho- 
roughly informed  by  the  loyalists,  who  had  escaped  to 
Staten  Island  and  now  accompanied  the  column,  of  every 
wood-road,  by-path,  and  farm-lane  —  advanced  with  almost 
the  rapidity  and  secrecy  of  Indian  warriors,  inclosing  the 
outposts  with  a  force  which  rendered  resistance  useless, 
even  where  it  continued  to  be  possible. 

Every  step  of  the  movement  was  performed  with  the 
coolness  and  deliberation  of  the  parade-ground ;  and,  as 
each  emergency  had  been  contemplated,  it  was  already 
half  disarmed  of  its  danger.^ 

The  air  was  stiU.  vibrating  with  the  boom  of  the  signal 
guns,  when  the  British  troops  in  the  American  rear  sprang 
forward  to  the  charge.  The  light  troops,  the  stragglers, 
the  wounded,  the  rear-guard,  and  all  the  mob  which  hovers 
in  the  rear  of  battle,  were  swept  away  like  chaff  before 
the  tornado.  On  the  extreme  left,  near  Bedford,  a  heavy 
body  of  men  was  pushed  forward  to  cut  the  American 
lines  at  the  Clove  road. 

The  important  task  of  occupying  and  guarding  the 
range  of  hills  from  this  point  to  the  Jamaica  road  had 
been  intrusted,  as  we  have  seen,  to  Col.  Miles.    In  addi- 

^  When  it  is  recollected  that  it  was  a  marked  characteristic  of  our  Dutch  citi- 
zens to  be  thoroughly  independent,  even  in  things  of  such  common  necessity 
as  wagon  roads,  and  that  every  farm  had  its  own  private  lane,  bounded  often 
24 


IgQ  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

tion  to  his  regiment  of  Pennsylvanians,  he  had  heen  rein- 
forced by  some  of  the  Kings  County  mihtia ;  and  their 
defection  may  have  increased  the  carnage  of  this  fatal  day. 

Scarcely  ten  minutes  could  have  been  occupied  in  the 
short  march  before  the  American  lines  were  pierced,  and 
Colonel  Miles'  men  were  flying  in  the  wildest  panic  and  ' 
dismay.  What  desperate  efforts  for  defense,  what  gallant 
though  unavailing  self-devotion,  were  exhibited,  we  know 
only  from  tradition ;  but  that  some  were  shamefully  neg- 
ligent is  too  painfully  certain.  That  Colonel  Miles  was 
completely  surprised,  by  an  enemy  who  had  for  six  hours 
been  marching  in  his  rear,  is  not  susceptible  of  denial  or 
doubt ;  though  he  procured  a  statement  to  be  credited  for 
the  time,  that  he  had  fought  so  bravely  and  persistently  as  to 
break  a  passage  through  the  enemy's  lines,  by  which  great 
numbers  of  his  men  were  able  to  escape.  His  reliance 
upon  the  fidelity  of  the  Kings  County  militia  may  have 
led  him  into  a  fatal  confidence.  But  the  heavy  firing  on 
his  right,  which  told  him  that  his  comrades  were  engaged 
with  the  enemy,  should  have  made  him  circumspect  and 
wary  regarding  his  own  position. 

On  all  sides  the  enemy  was  now  closing  around  the  fee- 
ble bands.  Vast  masses  of  fresh  troops  stretched  far  be- 
yond their  flanks  on  front  and  rear.  The  whole  line  of  De 
Heister's  army  was  advancing,  in  three  divisions,  preserving 
their  Old  "World  forms,  and  severity  of  drill  tactics,  with 
the  utmost  exactness,  even  in  these  American  forests. 
With  drums  and  fifes  sounding  the  charge,  and  regimental 


by  dykes  or  stone  walls,  overgrown  with  tliickets  and  wild  vines,  it  is  easy 
to  comprehend  how  a  foe  could  make  such  stealthy  approaches,  especially 
when  conducted  by  some  of  the  proprietors  of  these  lane-skirted  farms. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  187 

colors  flying,  while  the  rebel  battery  was  firing  upon  them 
at  short  range,  and  the  whole  force  of  American  riflemen 
and  infantry  was  engaged,  the  Hessian  line  was  regularly 
halted,  at  short  distances,  and  re-formed,  before  it  was  per- 
mitted to  advance.  There  was  a  terrible  intrepidity  in 
this  foppish  precision  which  was  not  without  its  effect  upon 
the  Americans.  Overwhelmed  by  the  numbers  and  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  foe,  their  redoubt  was  entered,  and  the  weak 
Une  of  fortifications  was  carried  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
The  rifles  of  the  Americans  were  no  longer  of  use ;  the 
length  of  time  required  to  ram  down  the  well-patched 
ball  permitted  the  opportunity  of  only  two  or  three  shots 
before  the  enemy  had  closed  upon  them ;  and,  in  the  im- 
petuous onset  of  a  charge,  a  clubbed  rifle  was  a  poor 
defense  against  a  dozen  bayonets.  Many  of  the  brave 
fellows  fell  in  the  intrenchments,  the  Hessians  in  several 
instances  pinning  them  to  the  trees.^  It  was  no  longer 
a  battle ;  it  was  a  rout,  and  a  massacre.  Squads  of  the 
Americans  retired  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the  Bedford 
road,  but  only  to  be  met  by  the  advancing  columns  of 
Clinton's  and  Cornwallis's  troops. 

Warned  by  the  heavy  firing  in  their  rear  that  their  posi- 
tion had  been  turned,  the  troops  of  the  two  regiments,  on  the 
extreme  left  of  Sullivan's  line,  came  hurrying  forward  to 
retreat  by  the  same  road ;  and  they  were  met  by  the  fugi- 
tives of  the  right,  retiring  from  Cornwallis'  front. 

De  Heister's  troops  had  paused  on  the  summit  of  the 
hill,  and  here,  he  says,  they  again  formed  in  line,  as  if  upon 

^  The  Hessian  Col.  Von  Heeringen,  makes  this  statement,  explicitly 
enough,  in  his  letter  to  Col.  Von  Lossberg :  "  The  enemy  was  covered  by 
almost  impenetrable  brushwood,  lines  of  abatis,  and  redoubts.    The  greater 


188 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


parade.  The  grenadiers,  and  skirmishers,  who  had  driven 
the  rebel  enemy  from  his  lines,  were  the  only  troops  who 
had  really  been  in  action.  The  regiments  in  the  rear  had 
mounted  the  hill  with  shouldered  muskets,  dragging  their 
cannon  with  them  to  the  abandoned  line  of  intrenchments. 

Colonel  Donop  and  Captain  Wreden  were  still  pushing 
forward  their  skirmishers  on  the  left ;  but  they  were  now 
met  by  the  three  regiments  of  Americans,  broken  by  the 
onset  of  Cornwallis'  brigades,  which  had  advanced  along  a 
line  reaching  from  the  present  intersection  of  Flatbush 
and  Fulton  avenues  half  way  to  Bedford.  Though 
broken  into  a  flying  mob,  the  Americans  had  not  ceased 
to  fight.  The  malignant  passions  of  both  armies  had  been 
inflamed  against  each  other  by  the  most  crafty  and  fatal 
falsehoods.  The  credulous  and  kindly  Germans,  by  the 
art  of  the  British  oflacers,  as  the  .letters  of  these  frankly 
avow,  had  been  led  to  believe  that  the  American  soldier 
was  an  implacable  and  savage  warrior,  who  never  gave  or 
accepted  quarter.  The  latter  had  also  been  led  to  believe 
his  Hessian  antagonist  a  brutal  and  inhuman  wretch, 
whom  it  was  necessary,  for  his  own  safety,  to  put  to  death. ^ 

Gen.  Sullivan  had  hastened  to  return,  as  soon  as  the 
sound  of  firing  announced  the  opening  of  the  conflict;  but, 

part  of  the  riflemen  were  pierced  to  the  trees  with  bayonets.  These  dreadful 
people  ought  rather  to  be  pitied  than  feared.  They  always  require  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  to  load  a  rifle,  and  in  the  mean  time  they  feel  the  effects  of  our 
balls  and  bayonets." — Biking's  Auxiliaries  in  America.    Document  40. 

^ "  The  Hessians  and  our  brave  Highlanders  gave  no  quarter,  and  it  was  a 
fine  sight  to  see  with  what  alacrity  they  dispatched  the  rebels  with  their 
bayonets,  after  we  had  surrounded  them  so  that  they  could  not  resist. 

"  We  took  care  to  tell  the  Hessians  that  the  rebels  had  resolved  to  give  no 
quarter  to  them  in  particular ;  which  made  them  fight  desperately,  and 
put  all  to  death  who  fell  into  their  hands." — Extract  from  aletter  from  an 
officer  in  Eraser's  'battalion.   Document  33. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  189 

finding  himself  cut  off  from  the  main  body,  he  was  now 
fighting  vigorously,  but  despairingly,  the  troops  in  front 
of  him.  Gen.  De  Heister  says  that  Sullivan  attempted  to 
reinforce  Col.  Heard,  who  commanded  the  riflemen  on  the 
American  left,  and  who  had  been  driven  back  by  Col. 
Donop's  yagers  and  grenadiers ;  but  this  is  scarcely  possi- 
ble, from  the  intervention  of  almost  the  whole  Hessian 
division  between  him  and  Heard's  position. 

Driven  out  from  the  woods  upon  the  open  plain,  in 
groups  of  fifty  or  sixty  men,  and  in  full  view  of  the  troops 
which  garrisoned  the  forts,  the  flying  Americans  were 
met  by  squadrons  of  British  dragoons,  followed  by  columns 
of  infantry,  which  completely  blocked  their  line  of  retreat. 
Hurled  back  again  upon  the  Hessian  line  by  the  dragoon 
charges  which  smote  and  crushed  them,  without  discipline, 
or  oflSicers  who  could  restore  it,  exposed  to  equal  lines  of 
fire  in  front  and  rear,  many  of  these  detached  squads 
attempted  to  surrender,  flinging  down  their  arms,  or 
reversing  them,  to  indicate  submission ;  but  they  were  in- 
closed by  an  infuriated  enemy,  indifferent  to  these  to- 
kens of  surrender,  and  were  inhumanly  cut  to  pieces.^ 

Entire  battalions  of  the  Hessians  rushed  at  the  bayonet 
charge  upon  some  of  these  groups  of  unarmed  men,  and 
never  paused,  with  thrust  and  shot,  while  one  of  them 
remained  alive.  The  cry  for  quarter.  General  De  Heister 
says,  was,  in  many  instances,  entirely  unheeded  by  either 
German  or  English  soldiers.    Indeed,  he  says,  the  British 

^  An  officer  of  high  rank  in  the  British  army  says  in  a  letter :  "  The  Ame- 
ricans fought  manfully,  and,  to  do  them  justice,  could  not  be  broken  till  they 
were  outnumbered,  and  taken  in  flank,  front  and  rear, 

"  We  were  greatly  shocked  at  the  massacre  made  hy  the  Hessians  and  High- 
landers, after  victory  was  decided." 


290  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

soldier  was  quite  as  sanguinary  and  inhuman  as  Ms  Saxon 
or  Hessian  comrade,  and  constantly  incited  these  to  grant 
no  quarter.  An  appalling  massacre  thus  closed  the  com- 
bat, over  whose  incidents  a  veil  has  been  drawn  which 
history  has  never  been  able  to  remove.  The  battle-field  had 
become  a  scene  of  awful  terror  and  flight  upon  the  one 
side,  and  of  resistless  assault  and  merciless  slaughter  upon 
the  other. 

In  some  parts  of  the  field,  however,  despair  aroused  the 
routed  Americans  to  an  energy  and  activity  which  cost 
the  enemy  the  loss  of  many  soldiers  before  they  themselves 
sank  in  death.  Groups  of  militia  fought  here  and  there 
amid  the  woods,  surrounded  by  overwhelming  masses 
of  the  enemy,  whom  they  madly  struggled  to  reach  with 
sword  and  bayonet,  until,  one  by  one,  they  fell  beneath 
the  weight  of  the  terrible  odds.  Taught  by  the  merciless 
massacre  of  their  comrades,  who  had  attempted  to  sur- 
render, they  no  longer  implored  life  at  the  hands  of  the 
implacable  foes  who  surrounded  them. 

There  is  no  incident  of  the  battle  better  attested  than  the 
massacre  on  the  ground  lying  between  "Washington  ave- 
nue and  Third  street.  Gen.  De  Heister  admits  the  truth 
of  these  atrocities,  by  attempting  their  palliation.  Colonel 
Von  Heeringen  circumstantially  narrates  their  incidents, 
in  a  letter  to  his  friend  Col.  Yon  Lossberg.^  The  Hessian 
General  attributes  the  massacre  to  the  fierce  resistance  of 
a  portion  of  a  Pennsylvania  regiment,  after  the  Hessians 

^  Col.  Von  Heeringen,  a  Hessian  officer  in  command  on  tlds  day,  says  in 
this  letter : 

"  The  English  soldiers  did  not  give  much  quarter,  and  constantly  excited 
our  men  to  do  the  same."  —  ElUng's  AuxUaries  in  America.   Document  40. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


191 


deemed  its  position  incapable  of  defense.  These  unfor- 
tunate provincials  had  never  learned  the  mysteries  of  that 
German  military  etiquette,  which  so  nicely  determines  the 
time  when  it  is  proper  to  surrender.  And  a  Hessian  lieu- 
tenant says  truly,  in  a  letter  of  the  time,  that  the  Americans 
fought  with  halters  around  their  necks,  as  they  expected 
to  be  hung  as  rebels  if  they  were  captured.  Elking  nar- 
rates the  rumors  of  the  massacre  which  prevailed,  with- 
out attempting  to  refute  them.  He  states  that  many  of 
the  wounded  Americans  were  bayoneted,  while  lying 
upon  the  ground  and  begging  for  quarter;  and  that  it 
was  reported  that  nearly  two  thousand  Americans  had 
been  pitilessly  put  to  death.  This  great  exaggeration 
of  the  number  slain  does  not  disprove  the  alleged  crime, 
nor  does  he  attempt  its  refutation;  but  admits  that  the 
Hessians  were  greatly  exasperated,  and  that,  under  the  ex- 
citement, they  perpetrated  atrocities. 

Lieut.  Fitch,  an  officer  of  one  of  the  Connecticut  regi- 
ments, who  was  taken  prisoner  on  the  27th,  near  Gowanus, 
has  left  a  manuscript  journal,^  in  which  he  gives  a  very 
curious  and  interesting  detail  of  matters  in  relation  to  his 
own  captivity.  He  says  that  his  treatment  by  the  British 
infantry,  to  whom  he  was  a  prisoner,  was  not  specially  se- 
vere, except  in  the  matter  of  verbal  insults;  while  the 
universal  assertion  of  those  who  had  been  captured  by  the 
Hessians,  testified  to  brutal  and  inhuman  treatment  re- 
ceived from  them,  l^ot  only  were  the  prisoners  robbed 
of  money,  and  valuables,  but  often  of  their  clothes.  One 
after  another  of  the  German  soldiers  stripped  American 


^In  the  possession  of  Mr.  Charles  I.  Bushnell,  of  New  York. 


192  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

officers  and  soldiers  of  their  various  garments,  until  many 
of  them  were  left  standing  entirely  naked.  This  rohbery 
was  permitted,  if  not  countenanced,  by  their  officers ;  who 
seemed  to  look  upon  the  plunder  as  the  legitimate  prize  of 
war.  The  English  soldiers,  on  the  other  hand,  though  pro- 
fuse in  verbal  abuse,  in  no  instance  offered  personal  violence 
to  their  prisoners,  or  attempted  robbery  of  their  effects. 
Soon  after  the  prisoners  taken  by  the  Hessians  began  to 
arrive,  an  American  corporal,  whose  name  Fitch  mentions, 
was  brought  in  with  a  bayonet  wound  in  his  bowels,  and 
another  in  his  breast,  both  of  which  he  solemnly  averred 
that  he  had  received  after  surrender.  His  wounds  were 
kindly  dressed  by  an  English  surgeon,  who  treated  him 
civilly;  but  he  complained  for  two  days  of  terrible  suffer- 
ing, and  at  the  end  of  that  time  died.  Another  prisoner 
was  brought  in,  badly  wounded  in  his  thighs;  and  although 
his  wounds  healed,  yet  he  perished  a  few  months  after,  of 
starvation  and  disease,  on  board  of  one  of  the  deadly 
prison  ships.  Lieut.  Fitch  states  that  a  prisoner,  with  whom 
he  was  acquainted,  was  brought  before  Gen.  De  Heister 
himself,  who  became  greatly  enraged  against  him  for  some 
offense,  probably  for  refusing  to .  answer  his  questions 
regarding  the  American  forces.  The  Hessian  General,  in 
a  burst  of  passion,  seized  his  prisoner  by  the  hair,  shaking 
him  violently,  and  belaboring  him  stoutly  with  hearty 
cuffs. 

Gen.  Sullivan  maintained  his  unequal  contest  for  two 
hours,  but,  cut  off  from  retreat,  or  connection  with  the  main 
body,  he  was  compelled  to  surrender.  At  what  part  of  the 
field,  or  even  at  what  hour  of  the  day,  this  took  place,  we 
have  nothing  on  record  to  afford  us  any  light.    At  11 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


193 


o'clock,  A.  M.,  the  contest  on  the  hills  had  nearly  closed.  A 
few  squads  had  broken  through  the  dense  lines  of  the  Bri- 
tish by  desperate  fighting,  and  reached  the  fortifications. 
Others  fled  along  the  hills,  and  hid  themselves  in  swamps 
and  thickets ;  from  which  many  of  them  were  routed  and  cap- 
tured after  the  battle,  while  some,  more  fortunate,  escaped. 
Considerable  bodies  of  the  fugitive  troops  had  fought  their 
way  through  Colonel  Donop's  line  of  skirmishers,  across 
the  Porte  road,  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Cortelyou 
house.  Pursued  closely  by  Cornwallis  and  the  Hessians, 
now  pouring  upon  them  by  the  Porte  road,  they  fled  across 
the  meadows  to  the  creek.  The  Hessian  riflemen  spread 
along  the  hills  towards  Stirling's  left;  while  the  victorious 
troops  of  the  British  right  wing  closed  in  by  columns  over 
the  scene  of  the  late  massacre. 

Col.  Miles,  surprised  in  his  camp  by  the  enemy,  as  we 
have  before  seen,  had  been  compelled  to  suffer  the  misfor- 
^  tune  of  beholding  his  command  cut  to  pieces  or  captured, 
and  of  being  himself,  with  every  officer  of  his  regiment, 
taken  prisoner.  He  was  compelled  ever  after  to  bear  the 
taunt  of  having  been  the  cause  of  the  defeat  of  the  day, 
although  he  contrived  to  procure  the  mention  of  his  name 
with  praise  for  his  gallant  resistance.  He  was  undoubtedly 
so  far  to  blame  that  nothing  but  the  hazardous  position 
of  the  American  army  for  many  weeks  afterward,  with  the 
irregularity  and  confusion  of  both  military  and  civil  au- 
thority, prevented  his  trial  for  gross  neglect  of  duty.  And 
for  such  he  should,  if  convicted,  have  suffered  death. 

As  the  communication  with  the  fortified  lines  was  now 
completely  severed,  by  the  interposition  of  heavy  masses 
of  the  British  troops,  no  other  route  of  escape  was  pos- 
25 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

sible  than  througli  the  narrow  strip  of  woods  lying  between 
the  Porte  road  and  the  salt  meadows.     This,  too,  was 
occupied  by  the  light  troops  of  the  Hessian  column ;  but 
the  impetuosity  of  the  despairing  survivors  of  the  massa- 
cre carried  them  through  Donop's  thin  skirmish  line,  and 
the  fugitives  were  now  pouring  through  the  roads  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Porte  road,  across  the  narrow  pass 
over  Freeke's  mill-dam.    Thronged  with  the  flying  crowd 
of  men,  this  remnant  of  an  army,  already  shattered  in  the 
awful  crash  of  battle,  had  there  another  horror  added  to 
its  fate.    The  Hessian  guns,  which,  with  German  tenacity, 
they  had  dragged  along  their  route  through  the  woods, 
hurried  into  position  upon  the  hills  near  Ninth  avenue, 
were  soon  hurling  their  balls  into  the  dense  masses  of 
fugitives  that  crowded  the  dam.    To  escape  this  plunging 
fire,  great  numbers  of  the  flying  soldiers  diverged  to  the 
south,  and  attempted  to  retreat  across  the  creeks  and  mill- 
dams.    As  we  are  left  in  ignorance  of  the  total  number 
of  our  soldiers  engaged  in  this  battle  under  Sullivan,  we 
can  only  conjecture,  from  vague  allusions  in  the  journals 
of  the  day,  what  proportion  of  the  Americans  effected  an 
escape  in  this  manner.    Many  were  shot,  while  struggling 
through  the  mud  and  water,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that 
some  were  drowned ;  but  local  traditions  do  not  corrobo- 
rate the  statements  regarding  the  extent  of  the  loss  of  life 
incurred  in  this  manner,  which  were  current  at  the  time. 

Thus,  at  11  o'clock,  on  this  fatal  day,  the  broken  and  fly- 
ing remnants  of  Sullivan's  division  had  melted  away, 
before  the  fierceness  of  the  British  assault  and  the  Hessian 
massacre.  Along  the  space  of  ground  included  between 
Washington  avenue  and  Third  street,  the  low  ground  in 


IXTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  195 

the  neighborhood  of  Greene  and  Fourth  avenues,  and  the 
heights  overlooking  Flatbush,  lay  the  bodies  of  nearly  one 
thousand  men,  slain  in  the  shock  of  battle,  or  by  subse- 
quent murder.  A  few  hundreds  of  the  Americans  were 
either  flying  through  the  morasses  and  thickets,  or,  per- 
mitted by  some  caprice  of  mercy  to  surrender,  were  now 
prisoners  of  war. 

An  instance  of  individual  bravery,  allied  to  desperation, 
was  exhibited  on  this  day  by  a  private  in  a  Massachusetts 
regiment,  named  John  Callender.  His  history  affords  a 
most  extraordinary  example  of  fortitude  under  a  crushing 
misfortune,  and  of  a  self-devotion  which  seemed  equally 
stimulated  by  courage  and  despair.  At  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill,  several  of  the  farmer-soldiers  who  had  been 
elected  by  their  neighbors  to  the  command  of  a  company, 
and  who  there  for  the  first  time  saw  the  carnage  of  battle, 
yielded  to  a  natural  human  shrinking  from  its  horrors. 
Among  those  who  were  denounced  as  cowards  by  the 
enraged  Putnam  was  Capt.  John  Callender,  who  had  com- 
manded one  of  the  companies  of  artillery.  Putnam  raved 
through  the  camp  at  Roxbury  like  a  madman,  declaring 
at  head-quarters  that  he  would  leave  the  service  unless 
Callender  was  cashiered,  or  shot.  His  ferocity  blinded 
him  to  the  noble  qualities  in  the  possession  of  which  Capt. 
Callender  was  greatly  the  superior  of  his  accuser;  and 
a  committee  of  Congress,  appointed  to  inquire  into  the 
truth  of  the  report  that  some  officers  had  been  guilty  of 
misconduct,  yielded  to  the  vehemence  of  Gen.  Putnam, 
and  reported  in  favor  of  submitting  the  inquiry  to  a  Court 
Martial.  By  that  tribunal  the  accused  was  found  guilty  of 
cowardice  in  battle,  and  sentenced  to  be  cashiered.  "Wash- 


196  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

ington  approved  the  sentence  "  not  only  from  the  particu- 
lar guilt  of  Capt.  Callender,  but  from  the  fatal  consequences 
of  such  conduct  to  the  army,  and  to  the  cause  of  America 
in  general."  ^ 

The  sincere  patriotism  of  this  brave  and  heroic  man  was 
not  chilled  by  his  misfortune,  or  the  terrible  severity  of  his 
punishment.  Scoffed  at  as  a  coward  by  the  whole  army, 
he  was  too  honest  to  avenge  the  outrage  by  becoming  a 
traitor ;  and  when  he  had  been  stripped  of  his  epaulets,  he 
stepped  quietly  into  the  ranks  of  his  corps,  to  serve  as  a 
private  where  he  had  once  commanded. 

On  the  27th  of  August,  private  John  Callender  once 
more  faced  the  enemy,  before  whom  his  cheek  had  once 
paled  with  momentary  apprehension.  On  the  heights  of 
Brooklyn  he  found  his  opportunity.  The  Captain  and 
Lieutenant  of  the  battery  had  fallen,  and  the  whole  army 
was  retreating  around  him.  His  firm  soul  had  already 
passed  through  the  fierce  trial  and  humiliation  of  fear, 
and  death  itself  was  now  less  dreadful  to  him.  Without  a 
moment's  hesitation,  he  sprang  to  the  front  of  his  wavering 
comrades,  and,  with  the  tone  of  authority  which  every  brave 
man  naturally  assumes,  took  command  of  the  battery,  re- 
called the  retreating  artillerymen,  and  fought  his  pieces, 
until  the  enemy  charged  upon  them,  and  swept  away  his 
men  in  their  tremendous  onset.  It  is  evident  that  the  heroic 
and  despairing  man  had  determined  to  perish  on  the 

^  Sweet  says  that  it  was  the  furious  denunciation  of  Putnam  wliich  aided 
in  producing  this  result.  The  committee  of  Congress  reported  that  they 
had  inquired  of  Gen.  Putnam,  who  had  informed  them  that  he  would  quit 
the  service,  if  these  officers,  Capt.  Gerrish  and  Capt.  Callender,  were  not 
made  an  example  of,  and  that  one  of  them  ought  to  be  shot.—  Sweet's  His- 
tory of  the  Bunker  Mil  Battle. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  197 

battle-field ;  for  he  disdained  to  fly,  and  was  still  charging  his 
guns,  when  the  British  bayonets  were  raised  to  be  plunged 
into  his  body.  The  chivalrous  daring  and  undaunted  air 
of  the  man  had,  however,  excited  the  admiration  of  a  gene- 
rous British  officer,  and  at  the  last  moment  he  interfered, 
and  saved  the  life  of  his  brave  enemy.  He  remained  for  over 
a  year  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  invaders ;  but  Wash- 
ington had  hastened,  on  the  report  of  his  conduct  in  the 
battle  of  Long  Island,  to  atone  for  the  indignities  under 
which  he  had  suffered.  His  heroism  had  won  for  him  the 
esteem  of  his  enemies.  It  would  have  been  the  greatest 
injustice,  if  it  had  not  restored  him  to  that  of  his  friends. 
"Washington,  accordingly,  ordered  the  sentence  to  be  erased 
from  the  order  book,  and  directed  the  restoration  of  his 
commission.  After  his  release,  a  more  signal  recognition 
of  the  injustice  of  his  sentence,  and  of  his  own  noble  con- 
duct, was  made;  for  Washington,  to  mark  his  approbation, 
gave  Captain  Callender  his  hand,  and  tendered  him  his 
cordial  thanks  for  his  services.^ 

It  was  nearly  10  o'clock  when  the  information  of  the  rout 
of  the  left  and  the  centre  was  first  communicated  to  Lord 
Stirling.  His  left  wing  was  already  recoiling  back  upon 
his  centre,  when  the  news  of  the  enemy's  successes 


*  As  late  as  Sept.  15, 1777,  Callender's  wife  addressed  atoucliing  petition  to 
tlie  government  of  Massachusetts,  in  his  behalf.  "  Your  petitioner/'  says 
she, "  with  four  helpless  infants,  is  now,  through  the  distress  of  a  kind  and 
loving  husband,  and  a  tender  and  affectionate  parent,  reduced  to  a  state  of 
misery  and  wretchedness  and  want  truly  pitiable." 

"  Her  devotion  had  found  a  way  of  relief  by  an  exchange,  and  it  was  suc- 
cessful."—  Frothingham' s  Siege  of  Boston. 

Capt.  Callender  held  his  commission  during  the  war,  and  left  the  service 
at  the  return  of  peace,  with  the  highest  honor  and  reputation. —  Col.  8.  Sweet's 
Eist.  of  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 


198  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

reached  him.  The  capture  of  Capt.  "Wragg  and  his  grena- 
diers, who  had  pressed  some  distance  in  advance  of  Corn- 
wallis'  column,  should  have  informed  him  before,  as  we 
have  said,  of  the  danger  of  his  position. 

It  may  here  be  stated  that  the  manner  in  which  the 
capture  of  Wragg's  command  had  been  effected  by  the 
Americans  enraged  the  British,  who  pretended  to  see  in 
the  accidental  similarity  of  uniform  a  treacherous  design. 
The  affair  of  shooting  or  capturing  the  soldiers  of  an 
enemy,  who  had  approached  with  the  idea  of  meeting 
friends,  was  styled  treachery,  and  furnished  a  pretext  for 
succeeding  atrocities.  Indeed,  so  eagerly  have  the  British 
writers  endeavored  to  palliate  the  cruelty  of  this  day's 
slaughter,  that  they  have  seized  upon  the  incident  of  Cap- 
tain "Wragg's  capture  to  justify  all  the  massacres  perpe- 
trated on  the  battle-field. 

Fired  with  a  common  emulation  of  slaughter,  Hes- 
sian and  British  troops  were  now  pressing  forward,  to 
inclose  Stirling's  division  between  them  and  Grant,  in  the 
same  fatal  embrace  which  had  crushed  the  life  out  of 
Sullivan's  corps.  The  right  wing  of  the  enemy,  com- 
manded by  Lord  CornwalHs  in  person,  was  hastening  for- 
ward, to  occupy  the  junction  of  the  Porte  and  Gowanus  roads. 
CornwalHs  had  proceeded  as  far  as  the  Cortelyou  house, 
which  is,  beyond  a  doubt,  the  dwelling  sometimes  spoken 
of  as  a  *  stone '  and  sometimes  as  a  <  brick '  house,  of  both  of 
which  materials  it  is  constructed.  This  bouse  CornwalHs 
proceeded  at  once  to  occupy  as  a  redoubt.  It  thus 
became  apparent  to  Lord  Stirling  that  his  position  was  no 
longer  defensible.  What  an  appaHing  change  from  the 
confidence  and  elation  of  an  hour  before! 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  199 

The  gigantic  extent,  and  the  consummate  skill,  of  the 
British  combination,  was  apparentto  the  General  at  a  glance. 
The  noble  soul  of  the  generous  soldier  at  once  impelled 
him  to  the  great  sacrifice,  which,  at  such  an  hour,  is  all 
that  is  left  for  a  defeated  commander.  The  onset  of  the 
victorious  foe  must  be  checked,  while  his  retreating  col- 
umns toiled  through  the  salt  marshes,  and  across  the  deep 
tide-water  creek,  in  their  rear.  To  the  heroic  mind  of 
Stirling  there  was  no  necessity  for  reflection  upon  the 
decision.  In  such  minds  instinct  is  a  safer  guide  than  is 
the  maturest  judgment  in  others.  The  decision  is  a  species 
of  inspiration.  Fortunately  for  his  purpose,  the  noblest 
instruments  for  his  design  were  at  hand. 

The  Maryland  regiment,  now  commanded  by  Major 
Guest,  some  portions  of  which  had,  from  the  peculiar  forma- 
tion of  Stirling's  line,  fought  on  the  right  wing,  although 
part  of  the  left,  was  still  nearly  intact,  and  was  burning  with 
patriotism,  and  the  desire  of  distinction.  This  body  of 
young  men,  sons  of  the  best  families  of  Catholic  Maryland, 
had  been  emulous  of  the  praise  of  being  the  best  drilled 
and  disciplined  of  the  Revolutionary  forces ;  and  their  high 
spirit,  their  courage,  their  self-devotion,  as  well  as  the  dis- 
cipline of  which  they  were  proud,  were  now  to  be  proved  in 
the  fierce  furnace  of  battle.  Flinging  himself  at  the  head 
of  these  brave  lads,  who  on  that  day  for  the  first  time  saw 
the  flash  of  an  enemy's  guns,  Stirling  determined  to  stem 
the  advance  of  the  foe.^ 

The  little  band,  now  hardly  numbering  four  hundred 
men,  prepared  for  an  assault  upon  five  times  their  number, 

*  Lord  Stirling  says,  in  Ms  letter  of  August  29,  to  Washington :  "  In  order 
to  render  the  escape  of  tlie  main  body  across  the  creek  more  practicable,  I 


200  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

of  the  best  troops  of  the  invading  army,  who  were  in- 
flamed with  all  the  arrogance  of  successful  combat. 

Forming,  hurriedly,  on  ground  in  the  vicinity  of  Fifth 
avenue  and  Tenth  street,  the  light  column  advanced  along 
the  Gowanus  road  into  the  jaws  of  battle,  with  unwaver- 
ing front.  Artillery  ploughed  their  fast-thinning  ranks, 
with  the  awful  bolts  of  war;  infantry  poured  its  volleys  of 
musket-balls,  in  almost  solid  sheets  of  lead  upon  them; 
and,  from  the  adjacent  hills,  the  deadly  Hessian  yagers 
sent  swift  messengers  of  death  into  many  a  manly  form. 
Still,  above  the  roar  of  cannon,  musketry,  and  rifles,  was 
heard  the  shout  of  their  brave  leaders,  "  Close  up !  Close 
up!"  and  again  the  staggering  yet  unflinching  files,  grown 
fearfully  thin,  drew  together,  and  turned  their  stern  young 
faces  to  their  country's  foe. 

At  the  head  of  this  devoted  band  marched  their  Gene- 
ral, to  whom  even  victory  had  now  become  less  important 
than  an  honorable  death  which  might  purchase  the  safe 
retreat  of  his  army.  Amid  all  the  terrible  carnage  of  the 
hour  there  was  no  hurry,  no  confusion,  only  a  grim  de- 
spair, which  their  courage  and  self-devotion  dignified 
into  martyrdom. 

The  advanced  bodies  of  the  enemy  were  driven  back 
upon  the  Cortelyou  house  —  now  become  a  formidable  re- 
doubt —  from  the  windows  of  which  the  leaden  hail  thinned 
the  patriot  ranks  as  they  approached.  Lord  Cornwallis 
hurriedly  brought  two  guns  into  position,  near  one  corner 


found  it  absolutely  necessary  to  attack  a  body  of  troops  commanded  by  Lord 
Cornwallis,  posted  at  the  house  near  the  Upper  Mills,  which  I  instantly  did, 
with  about  half  of  Small  wood's  regiment,  first  ordering  all  the  other  troops 
to  make  the  best  of  their  way  across  the  creek." 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


201 


of  the  house,  and  added  their  canister  and  grape  to  the 
tempest  of  death. 

At  last  the  little  column  halted,  powerless  to  advance,  in 
the  face  of  this  murderous  fire,  yet  disdaining  to  retreat 
with  the  disgrace  of  a  flight.  Again  and  again  these  self- 
devoted  heroes  closed  their  ranks  over  the  boclies  of  their 
dead  comrades,  and  still  turned  their  faces  to  the  foe. 
But  the  limit  of  human  endurance  had  for  the  time  been 
reached,  and  the  shattered  column  was  driven  back.  Their 
task  was  not,  however,  yet  fully  performed. 

As  Stirling  looked  across  the  salt  meadows,  away 
to  the  scene  of  his  late  struggle  at  Bluckie's  Barracks, 
and  saw  the  confused  masses  of  his  countrymen  crowd- 
ing the  narrow  causeway  over  Freeke's  mill-pond,  or 
struggling  through  the  muddy  tide-stream,  he  felt  how 
precious  to  their  country's  liberty  were  the  lives  of  his 
retreating  soldiers ;  and  again  he  nerved  himself  for  a 
combat  which '  he  knew  could  only  prove  a  sacrifice. 
Once  more  he  called  upon  the  survivors  of  the  previous 
dreadful  assault,  and  again  the  noble  young  men  gathered 
around  their  General. 

How  sadly  he  must  have  looked  upon  them — scarcely 
more  than  boys — so  young,  so  brave,  and  to  meet  again 
the  pitiless  iron  hail ! 

The  impetus  and  spirit  of  this  charge  carried  the  batta- 
hon  over  every  obstacle,  quite  to  the  house.  The  gunners 
were  driven  from  their  battery,  and  Cornwallis  seemed 
about  to  abandon  the  position ;  but  the  galling  fire  from 
the  interior  of  the  house,  and  from  the  adjacent  high 
ground,  with  the  overwhelming  numbers  of  the  enemy 
who  were  now  approaching,  again  compelled  a  retreat. 
26 


2Q2  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Three  times  more  the  survivors  rallied,  flinging  them- 
selves upon  the  constantly  reinforced  ranks  of  the  enemy; 
but  the  combat,  so  long  and  so  unequally  sustained,  was 
now  hastening  to  its  close.  A  few  minutes  more  of  this 
destroying  fire,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  of  the  noble 
youth  of  Maryland  were  either  prisoners  in  the  hands  of 
the  enemy,  or  lay  side  by  side  in  that  awful  mass  of  dead 
and  dying.  The  sacrifice  had  been  accomplished,  and  the 
flying  army  had  been  saved  from  complete  destruction. 
Amid  the  carnage  Stirling  was  left  almost  alone,  and, 
scorning  to  yield  himself  to  a  British  subject,  he  sought 
the  Hessian  General  De  Heister,  and  only  to  him  would  he 
surrender  his  sword. 

On  the  conical  hill,  within  the  American  lines,  stood 
the  Commander-in-Chief,  Gen.  Washington ;  and,  as  he 
vdtnessed  the  assault,  the  repulse,  and  the  massacre,  he 
exclaimed  in  agony  of  heart,  "Great  God!  what  must 
my  brave  boys  suffer  to-day."^  From  the  eminence  on 
which  he  stood  the  termination  of  the  last  struggle  of 
the  brave  Marylanders  was  plainly  and  painfully  visible 
to  him. 

On  the  shore  of  Gowanus  Bay  sleep  the  remains  of  this 
noble  band.  They  were  buried  on  the  farm  of  Adrian  Van 
Brunt,  who,  it  is  said,  consecrated  the  spot  for  the  sacred 
deposit;  so  that,  while  occupied  by  him,  the  plough  and 
the  axe  never  desecrated  it.  Out  upon  the  broad  surface 
of  the  level  marsh  rose  a  little  island  of  dry  ground,  then 
and  long  after  covered  with  trees   and  undergrowth. 


^  This  height  upon  -which  Washington  stood  was  crowned  by  a  redoubt, 
and  occupied  the  block  now  bounded  by  Court,  Clinton,  Atlantic,  and  Pacific 
streets. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


203 


Around  this  little  mound,  scarcely  an  acre  in  extent,  clus- 
tered a  few  of  the  survivors  of  the  fatal  field  and  of 
the  remorseless  swamp,  and  here  the  heroic  dead  were 
brought,  and  laid  beneath  its  sod,  after  the  storm  of  battle 
had  swept  by.  Tradition  says  that  all  the  dead  of  the 
Maryland  and  Delaware  battalions  who  fell  on  and  near 
the  meadow,  were  buried  in  this  miniature  island,  which 
promised  at  that  day  the  seclusion  and  sacred  quiet  which 
befit  the  resting  place  of  the  heroic  dead.  Third  avenue 
intersects  the  westerly  end  of  the  mound;  and  Seventh 
and  Eighth  streets  indicate  two  of  its  sides. 

The  grade  of  these  streets  carries  them  much  above  the 
highest  part  of  this  burial  mound ;  and  now,  far  below  the 
present  surface,  mingled  with  the  remains  of  the  servile 
sons  of  Africa  whose  burial  ground  it  also  was,  lies  the 
dust  of  those  brave  boys  who  found  death  easier  than 
flight,  and  gave  their  lives  to  save  their  countrymen. 

The  very  dust  of  those  streets  is  sacred.  And  our  busy 
hum  of  commerce,  our  grading  of  city  lots,  our  specula- 
tions in  houses  reared  on  the  scenes  of  such  noble  valor, 
and  over  the  mouldering  forms  of  these  young  heroes, 
seem  almost  sacrilege.  Rebel  tongues  have  chanted  the 
refrain  of  "  Maryland,  my  Maryland; "  but  they  cannot  rob 
the  nation  of  the  sad  sweet  thought:  '  She  is  Maryland,  our 
Maryland.'  Her  dead  on  the  field  of  battle  are  our  dead. 
Her  fame  and  her  glory  are  our  pride  and  our  rejoicing.^ 


^  Col.  Small  wood  has  been  understood  to  say,  in  his  letter  of  Oct.  12,  that 
the  Marvlanders  lost  two  hundred  and  fiftv-six  men ;  but  in  his  subsequent 
communications  he  makes  no  mention  of  the  number,  except  to  remind  the 
Convention  that  he  had  already  sent  a  list  of  the  killed,  wovmded  and  miss- 
ing. His  reticence  regarding  the  loss  of  one-half  of  his  battalion  is  unex- 
plained, except  upon  the  supposition  that  he  considered  the  list  as  affording 


204  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

We  weep  over  her  fallen,  in  the  cause  of  liberty ;  and  we 
do  not  cease  to  honor  them,  because  of  their  kinsmen  who 
would  have  robbed  her  of  her  fame  by  allying  her  to  the 
coalition  of  liberticides.    Dulce  et  decorum  est  pro  patria  mori. 

The  loss  of  the  Americans,  in  the  engagements  on  the 
27th  of  August,  is  as  difficult  to  be  ascertained  as  the  num- 
ber of  troops.  Washington  never  made  any  official  report 
of  the  battle,  other  than  to  state  in  one  of  his  letters  that  his 
loss  was  about  one  thousand.  That  this  was  far  below  his 
real  loss,  the  Commander-in-Chief  must  have  known  as 
well  as  we,  with  all  the  evidence  before  us.  The  panic,  and 
ungovernable  despondency,  consequent  upon  the  disaster, 
which  overwhelmed  the  army  and  the  public,  compelled 
the  concealment  of  the  actual  extent  of  the  loss.  "Wash- 
ington could  make  this  partial  statement  of  his  loss,  with- 
out rendering  himself  liable  to  the  charge  of  duplicity;  as, 
in  his  letter  to  the  continental  Congress,  he  would  only  be 
expected  to  report  the  loss  of  the  regulars,  the  only  troops 
under  the  control  of  that  body. 

Gen.  Howe  returns,  in  his  official  report,  a  detailed  state- 
ment of  his  own  and  the  American  losses  in  the  battle ; 
and  the  minuteness  of  his  military  report  entitles  it  to  our 
credit,  far  above  vague  summaries.  The  roll  of  prisoners 
in  Gen.  Howe's  possession  enumerates  one  thousand  and 


sufficient  particulars,  and  was  so  much  offended  by  a  censure  of  tlie  Conven- 
tion, that  he  would  not  proffer  any  remarks  upon  the  sad  fate  of  his  battalion. 
Contemporary  writers,  however,  distinctly  state  the  number  of  the  killed, 
wounded  and  missing  of  the  Maryland  battalion  to  have  been  more  than 
two  hundred  and  fifty.  In  a  letter  written  Sept.  1st,  1776,  the  writer  says  ; 
"The  Maryland  battalion  lost  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine  men,  amongst 
whom  twelve  were  officers :  Capts.  Veasy  and  Bowey  ;  Lieuts.  Butler,  Sterrit, 
Dent,  Coursey,  Morse,  Prawl,  Ensigns  Corts  and  Fernandas.  Who  are  killed, 
and  who  prisoners,  is  yet  uncertain." 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


*205 


ninety-seven ;  or  somewhat  more  than  the  whole  number 
which  "Washington  admits  as  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 
Gen.  Howe  estimates  the  whole  number  of  troops  which  the 
Americans  lost  in  the  battle,  at  three  thousand  three  hun- 
dred; which  is  evidently  an  exaggeration,  as  this  is  not 
far  from  the  entire  force  of  those  directly  engaged.  Sted- 
man  estimates  the  number  "  killed,  wounded,  and  missing," 
at  two  thousand.  Left  completely  in  the  dark,  as  we  are, 
regarding  the  numerical  strength  of  even  a  single  regi- 
ment, before  or  after  the  battle,  except  by  the  estimate  of 
its  officers,  we  have  little  better  than  conjecture  to  afford 
us  any  light  upon  the  loss  of  the  Americans  on  this  disas- 
trous day.  There  is,  however,  little  doubt,  that  in  killed, 
missing,  and  prisoners,  it  was  not  far  from  two  thousand. 
The  British  lost  about  seventy  killed,  of  whom  five  were 
officers,  two  hundred  and  eighty  wounded,  and  twenty-one 
prisoners,  making  a  total  loss  of  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
seven.^ 

*  All  the  letters  of  the  period  extol  the  courage  and  devotion  of  the  Mary- 
land battalion,  and  rate  its  loss  at  nearly  the  same  number.  See  Documents 
25  to  31. 

One  of  these  writers,  after  naming  the  same  missing  officers,  says :  "about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  men  of  Smallwood's  battalion  are  missing."  The 
officers  give  Lord  Stirling  the  character  of  as  brave  a  man  as  ever  lived. 
Stedman,  the  British  historian,  says ;  "  The  Maryland  Regiment  suffered 
most  severely,  having  lost  upwards  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  men ;  wliich 
was  much  regretted,  as  that  regiment  was  composed  of  young  men  of  the 
best  families  in  the  country."  —  Stedman' s  Am.  War,  vol.  i,  p.  196  ;  Docu- 
ment 42. 

Gen.  Howe,  in  his  official  report,  says :  "  On  the  part  of  the  King's  troops, 
five  officers,  and  fifty-six  non-commissioned  officers  and  rank  and  file,  were 
killed ;  13  officers,  and  245  non-commissioned  officers  and  rank  and  file, 
wounded ;  one  officer,  and  20  grenadiers  of  the  marines,  taken  prisoners,  by 
mistaking  the  enemy  for  Hessians.  The  Hessians  had  two  privates  killed, 
three  officers,  and  23  rank  and  file  wounded." 


206 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER  YI. 

The  Siege  of  Brooklyn. 

At  two  o'clock,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of  hattle,  the 
conflict  had  ceased.  The  feeble  remnant  of  the  American 
army,  which  had  continued  the  contest  so  long  after  suc- 
cess was  possible,  had  melted  away ;  a  few  survivors  of 
the  Maryland  battalion  had  found  safety  in  flight,  across 
the  salt  marsh,  every  foot  of  whose  surface  was  now  swept 
by  the  enemy's  artillery  and  rifle  shot.  The  impediments 
with  which  nature  had  barred  retreat,  in  this  direction, 
had  been  increased  by  the  labor  of  man.  From  a  narrow 
tide  channel,  which  emptied  into  Gowanus  creek,  below 
Denton's  mill-pond,  Nicholas  Yechte,  the  first  proprietor 
of  the  stone  house  around  whose  walls  the  sanguinary 
conflict  had  just  closed,  had,  a  century  before,  dug  a 
canal  across  the  strip  of  marsh  which  intervened  between 
the  Gowanus  road  and  the  navigable  waters  of  the  creek. 
This  artificial  channel,  hidden  by  the  rank  sedge  and 
grass,  formed  an  almost  fatal  barrier  to  escape  in  that 
direction.  It  was  the  apparent  facility  of  crossing  this 
narrow  ditch,  which  lured  numbers  of  the  flying  and  ex- 
hausted survivors  to  their  destruction.  The  tide  had  now 
risen  to  high  water,  filling  the  canal  nearly  to  the  level  of 
the  meadow,  so  that  its  slimy  banks  afibrded  no  foothold, 
or  support  for  the  hands  of  those  who  struggled  in  its 
waters.    In  the  opposite  direction,  to  the  north  of  the 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  207 

Porte  road,  escape  was  even  more  impracticable ;  for,  at 
this  time,  the  Yellow  mills  were  in  flames,  and  the  fire 
had  communicated  to  the  dwelling  house,  and  to  the 
bridges  which  crossed  the  flume  and  waste  weir  of  the  mill. 

The  mill-house  was  situated  at  the  foot  of  Freeke's  pond, 
the  bank  of  which  formed  a  road  which  crossed  the  salt 
meadow  at  this  point,  and  passed  over  a  bridge  at  each 
end  of  the  dam.  Turning  at  a  sharp  angle  to  the  south, 
on  the  east  side  of  the  mill-dam,  the  road  connected,  at  the 
distance  of  two  or  three  hundred  yards,  with  the  Porte 
road,  down  which  the  fugitives,  from  both  Sullivan's  and 
Stirling's  divisions  were  still  pouring,  hotly  pursued  by 
the  dragoons  and  Hessian  riflemen.  The  flames  of  the 
burning  mill  and  bridges,  bursting  upon  their  view  as 
soon  as  they  passed  the  abrupt  turn  from  the  Porte  road 
into  the  mill-lane,  revealed  the  appalling  fact  that  retreat 
was  cut  off  in  that  direction.  The  cruel  and  selfish  deed 
of  firing  the  mill  and  bridges,  was  said  by  Col.  Smallwood 
to  have  been  the  act  of  Col.  Ward,  commanding  an  eastern 
regiment ;  who,  early  in  the  retreat,  had  safely  passed  his 
whole  command  over  the  dam,  and,  in  order  to  secure  his 
rear  from  attack,  had  set  fire  to  the  light  wooden  structures, 
and  left  hundreds  of  his  countrymen,  pursued  by  a  victori- 
ous enemy,  to  perish.  isTo  military  necessity  called  for  this 
cruel  sacrifice.  The  passage  of  the  long,  narrow  causeway, 
swept  by  an  enfilading  fire  from  the  American  redoubt  on 
the  hill,  was  too  hazardous  for  a  cautious  foe  to  undertake 
it;  and  its  destruction  must  have  been  devised  by  a  panic- 
crazed  brain,  or  prompted  by  a  selfish  and  craven  heart. 

The  sacrifice  of  their  lives,  so  freely  made  by  the  gene- 
rous and  noble  sons  of  Maryland,  had  not  been  made  in 


208 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


vain.  An  hour,  more  precious  to  American  liberty  than 
any  other  in  its  history,  had  been  gained;  and  the  retreat 
of  many  hundreds  of  their  countrymen  had  been  secured, 
across  the  dreadful  creek  and  marsh,  whose  treacherous 
tide  and  slime  now  covered  so  many  of  their  brave  com- 
rades. The  carnage  of  battle  could  scarcely  have  been 
more  destructive  than  the  retreat ;  for,  at  this  time,  no  ves- 
tige of  an  army-formation  existed,  and  nothing  remained 
but  a  mob  of  flying  and  despairing  men,  among  whose  masses 
officers  and  privates  were  borne  undistinguished  along.^ 

Let  us  for  a  moment  review  the  scene  which  was  ex- 
hibited in  the  amphitheatre,  along  the  centre  of  whose 
arena  flowed  the  sluggish  waters  of  Gowanus  creek. 
Almost  the  entire  space  from  the  present  site  of  Smith 
street  to  Fourth  avenue,  and  all  that  portion  of  the  city 
south  of  Hamilton  avenue,  except  the  little  neck  of  Red 
Hook,  was  salt  marsh,  whose  treacherous  bogs  and  ob- 
scure paths  were  intersected  in  every  direction  by  deep 
bayous,  creeks,  and  mill-ponds,  up  whose  slimy  channels 
the  lazy  tide  was  now  creeping  to  its  full. 

Although  nearly  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  breadth,  no 
part  of  this  wide  arena  afforded  shelter  from  the  devast- 

^  Among  the  brave  officers  who  fell  in  this  battle  was  Col.  Philip  John- 
son, of  Sidney,  New  Jersey.  A  journal  of  the  day  contains  the  following 
notice  of  this  officer :  "  In  the  action  of  Long  Island,  Col.  Johnson,  of  Gen. 
Sullivan's  division,  behaved  with  remarkable  intrepidity  and  heroism. 
By  the  well  directed  fire  of  his  regiment  the  enemy  were  several  times 
repulsed,  and  lanes  were  made  through  them,  till  he  received  a  ball  in  his 
breast  which  put  an  end  to  the  life  of  as  gallant  an  officer  as  ever  com-, 
manded  a  battalion."  Gen.  Sullivan,  who  was  near  him  when  he  fell,  says, 
"  No  officer  could  have  behaved  with  greater  firmness  and  bravery  through- 
out the  action  than  Col.  Johnson."  He  sacrificed  his  life  in  defense  of  his 
country,  and  let  his  memory  be  dear  to  every  American  patriot,  as  long  as 
the  spirit  which  led  him  to  the  field  shall  actuate  the  sons  of  freedom. — 
Manuscripts  of  Qen.  Johnson. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  209 

ating  fire  whicli  swept  over  it.  The  semicircle  of  hills  to 
the  east,  from  which  the  Americans  had  been  driven,  was 
thronged  with  the  forces  of  the  victorious  and  exultant 
enemy.  On  every  knoll,  of  sutficient  area,  were  planted  his 
death-dealing  cannon.  Each  clump  of  trees,  and  little 
eminence,  held  a  squad  of  Hessian  riflemen;  while,  in 
advance  of  all,  were  pressing  on  the  solid  columns  of 
British  infantry  and  grenadiers,  which  constantly,  as 
opportunity  presented,  deployed  in  line  of  battle,  and 
delivered  their  terrible  volleys  of  musketry. 

Half  a  mile  to  the  north-west  of  the  meadow's  edge,  on 
the  ridge  of  ground  that  stretched  from  where  Pacific  and 
Court  streets  intersect,  to  the  junction  of  Fulton  and  Bond 
streets,  rose  the  low  parapet  of  the  fortifications.  These, 
and  the  walls  of  Fort  Greene,  near  the  present  crossing 
of  Dean  and  ITevins  streets,  were  thronged  with  anxious 
and  sorrowing  spectators.  Along  the  space  of  ground 
that  intervened  between  the  line  of  entrenchments  and 
the  East  River,  several  detachments,  from  the  army  in 
'New  York,  were  hastening  to  defend  the  passage  of  the 
creek,  and  to  effect  a  diversion  in  favor  of  the  broken 
troops  by  threatening  an  attack  upon  the  enemy. 

Washington  had  early  in  the  day  exerted  himself  to  the 
utmost  in  bringing  over  troops  from  'New  York,  to  rein- 
force Sullivan  and  Stirling;  and  now  that  their  forces 
were  utterly  crushed,  he  still  strove  to  cover  the  retreat  of 
the  fugitives,  and  to  strengthen  his  hues.  Threatened,  as 
these  were,  with  imminent  assault  by  a  heavy  British 
column  under  Gen.  Eobertson,  Washington's  prudence 
forbade  the  withdrawal  from  them  of  a  single  man,  even 
to  prevent  the  slaughter  of  his  soldiers. 
27 


210 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


On  the  high  ground  to  the  west  of  Freeke's  mill-pond, 
just  opposite  the  terminus  of  the  Porte  road,  sat,  on  his 
war  horse,  the  American  Commander,  his  great  heart 
wrung  with  anguish  at  the  dreadful  scene  before  him. 
A  soldier,  stationed  near  the  General  on  that  day ,^  has  left 
the  record  of  an  incident  worthy  to  be  preserved,  which 
exhibits  the  characteristic  submission  of  all  the  natural 
emotions  of  the  soul  of  "Washington  to  the  sterner  behests 
of  his  judgment.  While  the  General  was  communicating 
his  orders  to  Lieut.  Col.  Hart,^  then  commanding  at  this 
point,  his  attention  was  directed  to  the  struggles  of  an 
unfortunate  fugitive,  apparently  an  inhabitant  of  the 
Island,  who,  in  endeavoring  to  escape  from  the  approach- 
ing enemy,  had  been  firmly  fixed  in  the  mud  of  the  pond. 
It  was  evident  that,  without  assistance,  his  condition  was 
hopeless ;  and,  in  spite  of  the  exposure  to  the  enemy's  fire, 
and  the  danger  of  being  inextricably  fastened  in  the 
tenacious  slime,  numbers  of  the  men  petitioned  for  liberty 
to  go  to  his  aid.  The  guns  from  the  redoubt  on  the  sand 
hill,  known  afterwards  as  Fort  Boerum,  swept  the  surface 
of  the  pond,  and  the  ground  be^^ond,  so  as  to  forbid  close 
pursuit  by  the  British;  but  Washington  was  now  well 
aware  that  their  attack  would  not  be  long  delayed,  and 
he  refused  to  permit  the  rescue.  The  attempt,  he  said, 
would  place  the  rescuers  in  the  same  predicament,  where 
they  would  certainly  be  captured  or  slain.  Our  tender 
hearted  soldier  says,  regretfully,  that  he  never  learned  the 
fate  of  the  poor  fellow,  whose  misfortune  warmly  enlisted 


*  Hezekiali  Munsell :  see  Document  48. 

^  Col.  Grey  was  sick  in  New  York,  where  he  soon  after  died. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


211 


his  sympathies ;  but  such  scenes  were  too  sadly  frequent  on 
that  day. 

At  twelve  o'clock,  the  detachments,  which  had  been  or- 
dered from  ]S"ew  York,  had  begun  to  arrive ;  and  Washing- 
ton was  now  engaged  in  pushing  them  forward  to  threat- 
ened points  along  the  lines,  and  to  the  places  on  the  creek 
and  ponds  where  the  fugitives  were  crossing.^ 

A  Connecticut  soldier  ^  has  given  us  a  narration  of  many 
incidents  attending  the  march  of  his  regiment  to  the  scene 
of  slaughter,  whose  horrors  his  comrades'  fears  seem  fully 
to  have  anticipated.  Somewhere  on  the  route  from  the 
ferry  to  Gowanus  creek,  this  reinforcement  passed  a  feeble 
party  of  artillerymen,  almost  frantic  with  their  painful 
efforts  to  drag  a  twelve-pounder  to  bear  upon  the  enemy 
across  the  creek.  The  brave  fellows  made  the  most  earn- 
est appeals  for  help  in  bringing  the  heavy  piece  of  ordnance 
into  position,  but  their  entreaties  were  unheeded  by  the  offi- 
cers of  this  regiment  of  raw  recruits,  who  seem  to  have  been 

^  Among  the  incidents  of  the  battle  which  tradition  has  preserved,  there  is 
one  narrated  by  Judge  Furman  so  striking,  that  it  ought  not  to  be  omitted. 

"  During  the  progress  of  the  conflict,  a  detachment  of  the  British  army, 
while  in  pursuit  of  a  party  of  American  soldiers,  marched  down  a  lane  lead- 
ing from  the  Brick  tavern  to  Gowanus.  A  number  of  American  riflemen, 
to  obtain  a  better  range,  posted  themselves  in  some  high  trees,  near  the 
road.  One  of  them  shot  the  English  Major  Grant,  who  fell  without  his 
slayer  being  discovered.  Again  he  loaded*liis  deadly  rifle  and  fired,  when 
another  oflicer  fell ;  but  this  time  his  place  of  concealment  was  revealed, 
and  a  platoon  ordered  to  advance  and  fire  into  the  tree.  The  order  was 
executed  and  the  unfortunate  sharp-shooter  fell  dead  from  his  perch.  After 
the  battle,  the  two  British  officers  were  buried  in  a  field  near  the  spot  on. 
which  they  had  fallen,  and  their  graves  were  long  protected  by  a  fence  of 
posts  and  rails  where  their  remains  still  rest  (1824).  But  as  an  example  to 
the  rebels,  the  British  refused  the  rites  of  sepulture  to  the  American  rifle- 
man, until  long  after,  when  some  pious  hands,  in  defiance  of  the  enemy's 
prohibition,  placed  his  remains  in  the  cavity  made  by  the  uprooting  of  a 
large  tree  by  a  recent  gale  ;  and  covered  them  with  their  mother  earth." 

^  Adventures  of  a  Revolutionary  Soldier.   Hallowell,  Maine,  1820. 


N 


212  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

demented  with  their  own  panic,  and  to  have  pushed  forward 
with  the  most  dismal  forebodings  of  their  impending  fate. 
The  absorbing  selfishness  of  terror  had  so  paralyzed  every 
sentiment  of  manhood  in  the  breasts  of  the  officers  of  this 
detachment,  that  they  refused  to  aid  in  securing  the  very 
object  of  their  march,  because  it  was  outside  of  their  pre- 
scribed line  of  duty.  Arrived  at  the  bank  of  the  creek, 
they  found  it  thronged  with  their  flying  countrymen,  the 
last  body  of  whom,  that  had  continued  to  resist,  had  just 
been  driven  into  the  fatal  stream.  Within  the  view,  and 
almost  within  the  grasp,  of  the  reinforcing  regiment,  many 
of  the  fugitives  sank  beneath  the  turbid  waters  of  the  creek. 

Although  the  mortality  of  that  day  is  largely  attributed 
to  the  dangerous  bog  and  water  of  Gowanus  creek  and 
its  ponds,  yet,  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  battery 
which  Cornwallis  had  placed  at  the  Vechte  house  was  now 
pouring  its  discharges  of  grape  and  canister  upon  every 
point  of  the  crossing,  it  is  not  hard  to  believe  that  most 
of  those  who  fell  in  the  creek,  perished  from  these  missiles 
rather  than  by  drowning.^  The  brave  fellows  who  had 
toiled  so  painfully  in  dragging  the  twelve-pounder  through 
the  deep  sand,  were  now  amply  rewarded  by  the  splendid 
results  of  its  firing.  After  almost  superhuman  exertions  in 
bringing  their  heavy  piece  into  position,  they  opened  fire 
upon  Cornwallis's  battery,  at  the  stone  house,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  had  the  satisfaction  of  driving  it  out  of  range. 


^  Mr.  Garret  Bergen  was  a  lad  at  the  period  of  the  battle,  and  visited  the 
creek  subsequent  to  the  battle.  In  his  narration  of  the  scenes  he  witnessed 
he  always  declared  that  but  few  were  drowned  in  the  creek.  Such  evi- 
dence is,  however,  far  from  conclusive,  as  all  negative  testimony  must  be. 
Mr.  Bergen  was  very  young,  saw  but  a  small  part  of  the  creek,  and  that 
two  days  after  the  battle,  when  the  bodies  had  been  removed. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


213 


The  British  field-pieces  were  probably  light^four  and  six 
pounders,  and  unable  to  endure  the  heavy  shot  and  accurate 
firing  of  the  little  band  of  artillerists ;  so  that  although  these 
arrived  too  late  in  the  day  to  aid  in  repelling  the  attack  of 
the  British  columns  on  Stirling,  or  to  assist  his  devoted  corps 
of  Marylanders  in  their  assaults  on  the  Vechte  house,  they 
actually  accomplished  the  result  which  that  general  de- 
signed, in  driving  the  enemy's  battery  from  its  post. 

It  is  probable  that  the  firing  from  the  redoubt  at  Fort 
Boerum  also  aided  in  the  result.  The  letters  of  British 
officers,  containing  accounts  of  the  battle  of  the  27th  of 
August,  speak  with  slight  praise  of  the  American  gunnery, 
asserting  that  the  balls  flew  high  over  the  heads  of  their 
soldiers;  but  the  withdrawal  of  a  battery  of  four  guns, 
before  the  fire  of  at  most  only  an  equal  number,  is  testi- 
mony that  implies  a  much  greater  skill. 

At  two  o'clock,  in  the  afternoon  of  this  day,  the 
progress  of  the  British  forces  along  this  wide-extended  bat- 
tle-field, had  been  uninterruptedly  successful.  The  com- 
plicated manoeuvres  of  three  great  assaulting  columns,  had 
been  performed  with  the  exactness  and  certainty  of  some 
vast  machine,  whose  parts  were  moulded  and  move- 
ments regulated  by  a  skillful  engineer.  It  is  impossible 
not  to  yield  admiration  to  the  brilliancy  of  the  British 
plan  of  battle,  and  the  magnificent  perfection  of  its  accom- 
plishment. It  is  not  derogating  from  the  military  skill  of 
Gen.  Howe,  to  recall  the  fact  that  two  months  previously, 
the  British  spy.  Sergeant  Graham,  had  not  only  furnished 
the  information  which  was  indispensable  to  his  success, 
but  had  sketched  the  very  plan  of  attack  which  had  just 
resulted  in  the  defeat  of  the  American  army.    But  every 


214  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

victorious  battle-field  proved  a  Capua  to  Gen.  Howe ;  and 
on  this  occasion,  his  natural  indolence  and  voluptuousness 
found  a  ready  excuse  for  delay,  in  the  terrible  lesson  of 
Bunker  Hill.  He  remembered,  too,  that  eighteen  years 
before,  at  Ticonderoga,  his  brother.  Lord  George  Howe, 
a  noble  and  generous  soldier,  Had  fallen  while  advancing  to 
assault  a  work  which  seemed  only  an  insignificant  heap 
of  brush,  but  before  which  two  thousand  American  and 
British  soldiers  had  shared  his  fate. 

Among  the  ofiicers  of  his  army  who  keenly  felt  the 
disgrace  of  their  commander's  weakness,  was  Brig.  Gen. 
Robertson,  a  soldier  of  such  merit  as  to  be  promoted  soon 
after  to  the  rank  of  Major  General.  It  is  probable  that 
the  jealousy,  so  easily  aroused,  between  provincial  and 
metropolitan  officers,  was  not  slumbering  in  the  armies  of 
these  generals;  for  Robertson  had  resided  in  America 
twenty-five  years,  while  Gen.  Howe  was  fresh  from  the 
pomp  and  favor  of  the  court.  The  long  residence  of 
Robertson  in  this  country  does  not  seem  to  have  imbued 
him  with  the  fatal  respect  for  American  military  prowess 
which  haunted  the  mind  of  his  superior,  as  we  learn  from 
the  minutes  of  his  examination  before  a  committee  of  Par- 
liament.^ That  he  entertained  but  little  respect  for  that 
quality  of  Gen.  Howe  which  his  friends  entitled  prudence, 
and  his  enemies  procrastination,  is  plainly  deducible  from 
his  language. 

While  the  battle  on  the  heights  overlooking  Flatbush 
was  pending,  Gen.  Robertson,  in  obedience  to  Howe's 


^  The  minutes  of  the  evidence  given  by  all  the  British  generals  during  this 
investigation,  will  be  found  in  Document  43. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  215 

orders,  had  remained  an  idle  spectator,  within  two  hundred 
yards  of  the  American  entrenchments.  The  nature  of  the 
ground,  in  their  front,  permitted  his  scouts  to  approach  the 
works  so  closely  as  to  report  that  they  would  not  withstand 
his  assault  in  force  for  a  moment.  Robertson  repeatedly 
sought  permission  from  Gen.  Howe  to  carry  the  entrench- 
ments, with  his  single  brigade;  but  the  imagination  of  the 
General  pictured  them  as  such  formidable  obstacles  that 
he  as  often  peremptorily  refused. 

In  his  examination  before  the  parliamentary  committee, 
Gen.  Robertson  testified  that  the  battalion  of  grenadiers 
led  by  Col.  Stuart,  and  the  Thirty-second  regulars,  without 
waiting  for  orders,  crossed  the  open  field  north  of  the  Flat- 
bush  road  with  the  intention  of  carrying  Fort  Putnam  by 
assault.  Gen.  Yaughau  begged  permission  to  attack  the 
lines,  which  were  semicircular,  with  parapets  lined  with 
spears  and  lances,  but  he  was  ordered  back."  ^  The  gren- 
adiers, and  light  infantry,  were  commanded  by  Col. 
Monckton  and  by  Gen.  Vaughan,  who  saw  the  advantage 
with  which  fortune  had  favored  the  British  forces,  and 
told  Howe  that  the  rebels  were  now  shut  up  between  them 
and  the  sea,  and  entirely  within  their  power. 

To  all  these  appeals  Gen.  Howe  turned  a  deaf  ear, 
though  Yaughan  sent  word  to  him  that  he  could  carry  the 
lines  with  trifling  loss,  and  fairly  "  stormed  with  rage  when 
ordered  to  retire."  Two  or  three  hundred  yards  from  the 
entrenchments,  the  surface  of  the  ground  declined  abruptly, 
and  oftered  such  complete  protection  to  the  British  troops 
as  to  be  styled  by  Gen.  Robertson  in  his  testimony. 


*  London  Ohronicle, 


216  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

"  a  hollow  way."  It  afforded  not  only  shelter  from  the 
American  cannon,  but  an  opportunity  for  some  of  the 
British  letter-writers  to  affirm  that  the  American  cannon 
were  not  well  mounted,  as  the  shot,  fired  far  above  their 
heads,  were  only  effective  in  cutting  away  the  limbs  of 
the  forest  trees  high  in  the  air. 

We  have  seen  how  slight  were  the  defenses  before 
which  seventeen  thousand  men,  with  forty  pieces  of  artil- 
lery, were  thus  pausing;  and  it  is  a  subject  of  curious  interest 
to  us,  at  this  day,  to  observe  the  estimate  of  their  strength  by 
other  British  officers.  From  the  minutes  of  the  examina- 
tion of  the  officers  in  command  on  that  day,  before  the 
committee  of  Parliament,  we  learn  almost  every  thought 
which  animated  or  depressed  them. 

The  lines,  they  testify,  could  not  be  carried  by  assault, 
they  could  only  be  taken  by  regular  approaches.  "  We 
had  no  fascines  to  fill  the  ditches,  or  axes  to  cut  away  the 
abatis,  or  scaling  ladders  to  assault  so  respectable  a  work. 
The  lines  were  a  mile  and  a  half  in  extent,  including 
angles,  with  a  chain  of  five  cannon-proof  redoubts,  or 
rather  fortressess  with  ditches,  as  also  had  the  lines  which 
formed  the  intervals;  the  whole  surmounted  by  a  most 
formidable  abatis,  finished  in  every  part.  A  corporal  and 
six  men  had  some  difficulty  in  getting  through  the  abatis."^ 
The  subsequent  knowledge  of  the  strength  of  these  works 
did  not,  however,  confirm  this  extravagant  notion  of  their 
impregnability,  and  honest  Gen.  Eobertson  speaks  of  them 
with  some  scorn  in  his  testimony. 


^View  of  the  evidence  relating  to  tlie  conduct  of  the  American  war. 
Document  43. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  217 

Such  as  they  were,  the  British  were  as  hasty  in  their 
efforts,  after  the  evacuation,  to  destroy  the  entrenchments, 
which  gave  such  mortifying  evidence  of  their  own  timidity, 
as  they  had  been  tardy  in  assaulting  them.  To  accomplish 
their  destruction  in  the  shortest  time  possible,  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Kiugs  county  were  compelled  to  labor  side  by  side 
with  the  British  soldiers,  in  filling  the  ditches,  leveling  the 
breast-works  and  redoubts,  and  effacing  all  traces  of  the 
works  which  they  had  so  short  a  time  previously  aided  in 
constructing.  So  effectually  was  their  evidence  of  Gen. 
Howe's  caution  obliterated,  that  Gen.  Eobertson  says, 
'though  he  often  rode  over  the  ground,  in  a  short  time  no 
vestige  of  the  lines  could  be  traced.' 

It  was  at  this  period  that  the  oversight  or  neglect  of  the 
engineer  who  had  directed  the  construction  of  the  defenses, 
nearly  proved  fatal  to  the  remnant  of  the  American  army, 
protected  by  them.  Anticipating  the  possible  forcing  of 
the  lines  along  Gowanus  creek,  an  interior  line  of  defense 
had  been  planned,  of  which  Fort  Stirling  and  the  redoubt 
crowning  Ponkiesberg  were  part.  The  Fort,  standing  upon 
the  Heights,  commanded  the  approaches  from  the  River  to 
Red  Hook  lane,  and  the  guns  of  the  redoubt  on  Ponkies- 
berg overlooked  the  ground  intervening  between  it  and 
Fort  Greene.^  'Not  until  the  thunder  of  the  British  guns 
had  broken  the  slumbers  of  the  American  army  on  the 
morning  of  the  twenty-seventh,  did  its  officers  seem  to 

*  Fort  Stirling  was  the  strongest  work  of  the  Brooklyn  defenses.  It  stood 
on  the  land  of  Mr.  Hicks  ;  since,  the  estate  of  the  Pierrepont  family.  At  nine 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  August  30th,  as  the  last  boats  of  the  retreating 
army  were  crossing  the  River,  the  advance  guard  of  the  British  army  oc- 
cupied this  fort,  xmspiked  the  guns,  and  commenced  firing  on  the  retreating 
boats. 

28 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

have  been  as  fully  aware  of  the  existence  of  a  gap  in  their 
line  of  defense  between  Fort  Greene  and  Freeke's  pond, 
as  was  their  vigilant  and  well  informed  enemy. 

Several  hundred  feet  of  the  lines  at  this  point  were  un- 
finished, and  it  was  only  at  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the 
battle  that  the  labor  of  closing  them  was  commenced. 
One  of  the  participants  in  this  hurried  and  anxious  task 
has  left  us  his  narrative  of  the  incidents  occurring  at  this 
portion  of  the  lines.  The  narrator  says,^  that  the  position 
occupied  by  his  regiment  was  near  the  Yellow  Mills,  and 
that  on  the  morning  of  the  battle  the  regiment  was  em- 
ployed in  cutting  down  an  orchard  of  apple-trees,  to  form 
a  line  of  abatis  in  front  of  the  breast-work  which  was  even 
then  being  constructed  across  the  gap.  Fortunately  for 
the  safety  of  this  portion  of  the  lines,  the  thrift  of  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  farm  had  reared  an  orchard  of  large  trees, 
then  loaded  with  their  ripening  fruit.  The  inexorable 
necessities  of  war  demanded  their  sacrifice ;  and  the 
pioneer's  axe  soon  leveled  them,  to  be  dragged  by  squads 
of  soldiers  into  line  along  the  declivity,  to  defend  a  point 
so  strangely  neglected  until  this  critical  hour.  The  mill- 
ponds  and  the  creek  completed  the  extension  of  the  lines  to 
the  bay,  their  hitherto  impassable  mud  being  considered 
sufficiently  formidable  without  artificial  aid. 

Every  incident  which  determines  the  position  or  exhibits 
the  conduct  of  Washington  on  this  day,  is  full  of  interest 
to  us.  It  has  been  asserted  that  the  General  remained  on 
horseback,  during  the  whole  day ;  but  he  was  seen  by  this 
narrator  walking  along  the  lines,  while  giving  his  orders 


*  Mr.  Hezekiah  Munsell.  Document  48. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  219 

to  the  Colonel  of  each  regiment  in  person.  To  Lieut.  Col. 
Hart,  he  was  heard  to  say :  "If  the  enemy  come  to  attack 
you,  let  them  approach  within  twenty  yards  before  you 
fire."  This  order  was  given  in  anticipation  of  a  stratagem 
of  the  enemy  to  draw  the  fire  of  the  raw  recruits  when  at 
such  a  distance  as  to  render  it  ineffective,  and  then  with  a 
rapid  charge  drive  them  from  the  breastworks.  But,  as 
the  honest  soldier  quaintly  observes :  "  Washington  was 
too  old  for  them."  At  this  point,  also,  he  heard  Washing- 
ton address  the  troops  in  these  stirring  words  :  "  The  time 
has  come  when  Americans  must  be  freemen  or  slaves. 
Quit  yourselves  like  men,  like  soldiers ;  for  all  that  is  worth 
living  for  is  at  stake.  I  have  two  pistols  loaded,  and  if  I 
see  any  man  turn  his  back  to-day,  I  will  myself  shoot  him 
down.  But  I  will  not  ask  any  man  to  go  further  than  I 
do.  I  will  fight  with  you  as  long  as  I  have  a  leg  or  an 
arm."  By  words  like  these,  addressed  to  the  soldiers  along 
the  line  of  entrenchments,  Washington  sought  to  inspirit 
these  young  troops  with  the  determination  to  make  a  firm 
resistance. 

That  the  information  of  Gen.  Robertson  regarding  the 
weak  points  of  the  American  defenses,  was  minutely  accu- 
rate, is  confirmed  by  several  circumstances.  Spies  had 
visited  the  camp,  and  returned  with  their  information, 
unmolested,  and  almost  without  concealment ;  so  uncer- 
tain was  the  discipline  of  the  army,  and  so  wide  spread 
the  disafiection  of  the  inhabitants  to  the  American 
cause.  Deserters  from  the  Island  militia,  as  well  as  loyal 
inhabitants  residing  within  the  lines,  had  found  but  little 
difficulty  in  communicating  with  the  British,  and  con- 
veyed to  them  the  minutest  details  of  the  position  and 


220  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

character  of  the  defenses;  the  accuracy  of  which  was 
attested  by  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  soon  after  the 
arrival  of  Gen.  Robertson's  brigade  before  the  American 
lines. 

The  completion  of  the  unfinished  defenses,  during  the 
night  and  early  morning,  had  been  performed  too  rapidly 
for  information  of  that  important  change  to  reach  the 
enemy.  Relying  upon  the  correctness  of  the  reports  of  his 
spies,  a  strong  body  of  Gen.  Robertson's  troops  was  therefore 
pushed  forward,  soon  after  the  attack  on  Sullivan's  posi- 
tion, with  the  design  of  forcing  a  passage  through  the 
break.  It  is  probable  that,  confident  of  easily  turning  the 
right  flank  of  the  Americans  through  this  gap,  the  enemy 
pressed  forward  with  some  precipitation  until  they  were 
close  upon  the  new  breast-works,  when  they  were  received 
with  a  heavy  fire.  Surprised  by  resistance  from  a  quar- 
ter deemed  unguarded,  the  assaulting  column  retired  in 
some  confusion.  During  the  day  considerable  bodies  of 
this  brigade  were  repeatedly  formed,  and  pushed  forward, 
apparently  to  assault  the  entrenchments  at  this  point ;  but 
on  recovering  the  bodies  of  the  dead  and  wounded  who 
had  fallen  in  the  first  attack,  they  retired.  Although  it 
was  fully  believed  at  the  time  that  these  subsequent 
advances,  by  detached  columns  of  moderate  strength, 
were  only  intended  for  the  recovery  of  those  who  fell  in 
the  first  attack,  yet  it  is  more  than  probable  that  they  were 
designed  as  a  part  of  the  general  plan  of  battle.  In  ac- 
cordance with  this,  Gen.  Robertson,  by  his  manoeuvres, 
was  to  keep  alive  the  apprehension  of  a  general  assault, 
and  thus  prevent  the  detaching  of  reinforcements  to  Gen. 
Sullivan  or  Lord  Stirling. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  221 

There  were,  indeed,  moments  during  the  day,  when  a 
cohimn  of  five  or  six  thousand  men,  under  a  vigorous  and 
bold  commander,  might  have  fatally  struck  Sir  Henry 
Clinton's  line  while  in  the  ardor  of  pursuit,  and  while 
broken  by  the  woods  and  uneven  ground.  This  ma- 
noeuvre, by  severing  his  communication  with  Robertson, 
would  have  exposed  the  latter  to  an  assault  from  the  en- 
trenched lines,  and  compelled  his  surrender,  or  at  least  his 
withdrawal  under  a  heavy  fire  from  front  and  rear. 

Another  figure  appears  upon  the  scene,  in  striking 
contrast  with  the  courtly  and  manly  person  of  Washing- 
ton. Sometimes  dashing  along  on  horseback  at  full 
speed,  his  uniform  consisting  of  a  soiled  shirt,  over  which 
he  wore  only  a  sleeveless  waistcoat,  with  a  common  hanger 
slung  across  his  broad  shoulders  by  a  leathern  belt,  this 
person  exhibited  a  tireless  energy  in  riding  rapidly  along 
the  lines,  without  apparently  any  well  defined  purpose. 
Again  he  would  be  discerned  striding  back,  with  bustling 
haste,  on  foot,  issuing  his  orders  right  and  left,  with  a 
mixture  of  pompous  dignity  and  vulgar  familiarity.  This 
was  the  brave  Gen.  Putnam,  whose  honors  had  been 
thrust  upon  him,  more  from  the  generosity  of  his  country- 
men, than  from  true  regard  to  his  deserts.  To  him,  un- 
fortunately, had  been  confided  the  important  command  of 
the  forces  on  the  Island ;  and  had  success  depended  solely 
on  his  personal  bravery,  probably  the  misfortunes  of 
this  day  would  have  been  avoided.  During  the  perform- 
ance of  one  of  those  evolutions  by  which  Gen.  Robertson 
threatened  the  American  lines,  an  incident  occurred,  so 
eminently  characteristic  of  Gen.  Putnam,  that  it  will  bear 
narration. 


222  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Among  the  Kings  county  militia,  stationed  behind  the 
entrenchments,  and  at  this  time  awaiting  the  assault  mo- 
mentarily threatened,  was  a  native  of  Brooklyn,  named 
Remsen.  It  was  from  his  lips  that  the  narrative  of  the  inci- 
dent was  received.^  At  the  point  where  Mr.  Remsen 
was  stationed,  the  embankment  was  so  low  that  the  men 
were  obliged  to  crouch  behind  it,  to  obtain  protection  from 
the  British  fire;  and,  whenever  the  enemy  approached 
within  range,  the  first  line  of  troops  kneeled,  to  aim  and 
discharge  their  guns.  A  few  paces  in  the  rear  of  the 
firing  parties.  Gen.  Putnam  was  constantly  stalking  back 
and  forth,  at  every  return  enforcing  anew  his  favorite 
command,  which  Bunker  Hill  had  made  so  famous  : 
"  Don't  fire,  boys,  until  you  can  see  the  whites  of  their 
eyes."  The  eminent  success  of  this  injunction  in  that 
battle  had  given  it  an  importance  in  the  mind  of  the  old 
Indian  fighter  which  quite  justified  its  frequent  repetition 
behind  the  Brooklyn  entrenchments. 

It  was  the  reputation  —  somewhat  damaged  by  later 
critical  researches —  of  having  stood  at  bay  behind  defenses 
as  feeble  as  these,  and  there  breasted  the  fierce  rush  of 
assaulting  columns,  that  had  gained  from  Washington  the 
reluctant  appointment  of  Gen.  Putnam  to  this  command. 
For  patient  endurance  of  the  inconveniences  of  a  siege, 
and  for  stubborn  resistance  to  the  fierceness  of  an  enemy's 
assault,  his  experience  in  Indian  warfare  had  fitted  him. 
But  modern  researches  have  clouded  his  other  pretensions, 
and  placed  upon  the  brow  of  Col.  Prescott  the  laurels, 
of  which  the  fulsome  laudations  of  Putnam,  by  his  per- 


^  Statement  to  Mr.  J.  Carson  Brevoort,  by  Mr.  Remsen. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


223 


sonal  favorites,  had  robbed  their  owner.  Of  the  hollow- 
ness  of  this  part  of  his  reputation,  his  soldiers,  however, 
at  this  time,  suspected  nothing. 

Had  the  British  general  been  content  with  pushing  his 
forces  headlong  on  the  American  entrenchments,  without 
employing  the  refined  devices  of  Italian  military  strategy 
in  outflanking,  it  is  possible  that  Gen.  Putnam  would 
have  shone  on  this  day  as  a  brave,  and  perhaps  a  success- 
ful general.  But,  as  it  was,  his  exertions  seem  to  have 
been  confined  to  walking  backward  and  forward  behind 
the  crouching  lines  of  his  men,  and  impressively  repeating 
his  famous  military  order. 

Near  that  part  of  the  line  where  Mr.  Remsen  lay,  was 
a  group  that  attracted  his  attention,  because  he  felt  certain 
that  its  manoeuvres  would  cause  an  explosion  of  Putnam's 
wrath,  the  moment  it  caught  his  eye.  A  soldier  of  one 
of  the  Connecticut  regiments  was  crouching  behind  the 
breastwork,  and  was  busily  employed  in  loading  his  own 
and  his  comrade's  gun,  which  were  fired,  however,  only 
by  the  latter,  a  Maryland  soldier,  who  was  kneeling  to 
rest  his  piece  upon  the  parapet,  and  with  deliberate  aim 
picking  off  the  enemy's  troops.  This  partnership  of 
courage  and  poltroonery,  which  exjposed  the  brave  Mary- 
lander  without  intermission,  while  his  comrade  was  re- 
clining in  perfect  safety,  at  length  arrested  the  attention 
of  the  promenading  General.  The  angry  blood,  which 
fired  so  readily  at  the  call  of  his  hot  temper,  flamed  in  an 
instant  on  his  countenance;  and  with  a  few  quick  strides 
he  reached  the  side  of  the  couchant  hero,  who  remained 
unconscious  of  the  proximity  of  his  angry  General.  The 
flat  side  of  his  sword  fell  with  stinging  force  on  the  back 


224  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

of  the  culprit  as  lie  exclaimed,  "  Get  up,  up  you  d — d  coward, 
and  fire  your  own  gunJ^ 

At  one  time  a  number  of  British  officers  approached  so 
close  to  the  lines,  for  the  purpose  of  reconuoitering  them, 
that,  while  engaged  in  their  observations,  they  came  within 
musket  range.  This  group  of  officers  was  fired  at  by 
William  Van  Cott,  of  Bushwick,  after  a  deliberate  aim. 
The  instant  fall  of  one  of  their  number  announced  that  his 
shot  had  taken  effect,  and  the  survivors,  on  recovering 
the  body,  immediately  withdrew.  Perceiving  the  effect 
of  his  shot,  either  from  remorse  at  having  deliberately  slain 
a  fellow  being,  or  perhaps  because  the  act  had  committed 
him  beyond  the  hope  of  pardon.  Van  Cott  threw  down 
his  musket,  and  said  that  "  he  had  done  his  part."  ^ 

Thus  with  menaces  of  attack  along  the  whole  line, 
which  terminated  only  in  feeble  skirmishes,  the  long,  dis- 
astrous twenty-seventh  of  August  was  drawing  to  its  end. 
l^ight  was  gathering  over  the  most  hopeless  enterprise 
ever  undertaken  in  the  cause  of  human  liberty.  On  every 
side  prevailed  a  sullen  despair,  which  filled  the  timid  with 
dismay,  but  armed  the  brave  with  sterner  resolution.  All 
looked  forward  to  the  morrow,  with  gloomy  forebodings. 

"Washington  had  witnessed,  as  we  have  seen,  the  total 
rout  of  Stirling's  division,  and  the  slaughter  of  the  Mary- 
land battalion,  and  had  at  once  hastened  across  the  River 
to  expedite  the  passage  of  reinforcements.  The  necessity 
for  these  was  believed  to  be  exceedingly  urgent,  as  nothing 
was  more  certain  than  that  the  enemy  had  landed  the 
great  mass  of  his  forces  on  Long  Island. 


*It  was  during  this  afternoon  that  Capt.  Rutgers'  brother,  Col.  Rutgers, 
of  New  York,  was  killed ;  but  at  what  part  of  the  lines  is  unknown. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  225 

The  events  of  the  morning  had  dispelled  those  illusions 
which  had  blinded  his  Council,  and,  to  the  mind  of  Wash- 
ington, had  rendered  it  certain  that  the  whole  British 
army  was  before  him,  and  that,  until  it  had  forced  the 
Brooklyn  lines,  the  attack  upon  'New  York  was  suspended. 
Relieved  from  apprehension  of  imminent  danger  to  that 
city,  his  clear  judgment  at  once  decided  upon  the  import- 
ant movement  which  the  enemy's  position  left  open  to  him. 

Orders  were  at  once  communicated  to  the  camps,  from 
the  Grand  Battery  to  King's  Bridge,  for  certain  regiments 
to  march.  Every  moment  was  big  with  opportunity. 
Enough  troops  must  be  withdrawn  from  New  York  to 
hold  the  Brooklyn  lines,  or  the  horrors  of  the  morning 
would  sink  into  insignificance,  compared  with  the  disasters 
which  must  be  apprehended. 

Throughout  the  morning  detached  squads  of  troops 
had  crossed  the  river,  warned,  by  the  heavy  firing,  that 
their  countrymen  were  sorely  pressed.  Officers  sought 
their  commands,  already  hotly  engaged,  and  privates  were 
hurrying  under  urgent  orders  to  their  companies.  A 
Connecticut  regiment  had  crossed  some  time  in  the 
morning,  and,  being  ordered  to  reinforce  Stirling  on  the 
right,  had  reached,  as  we  have  seen,  the  west  bank  of  Go- 
wanus  creek  in  time  to  send  a  few  volleys  into  the  enemy's 
columns,  and  to  aid  the  last  of  the  survivors  of  Stirling's 
corps  in  struggling  across  its  slime.  The  conduct  of  its 
officers,  if  we  may  trust  the  account  of  one  of  its  own 
members,  was  poorly  calculated  to  inspire  the  soldiers  with 
that  high  courage  which  the  exigencies  of  the  battle-field 
demanded.  The  raw  recruits,  of  which  the  regiment  was 
composed,  were  already  sufficiently  impressed  with  the 
29 


226  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

dangers  of  their  situation.  The  unaccustomed  sight  of 
wounded  men  borne  past  them,  with  all  the  ghastly  effects 
of  battle  apparent  on  their  forms  and  depicted  in  their 
features,  produced  an  appalling  effect  upon  these  young 
soldiers,  which  the  conduct  of  their  officers  did  not  tend 
to  remove.  From  one  of  the  various  causes  which  robbed 
many  of  the  American  regiments  of  their  officers  before 
the  battle,  the  colonel  of  this  regiment  was  absent  from 
his  place  at  the  head  of  his  men,  and  the  lieutenant- 
colonel  was  in  command.  The  regiment  was  marching 
along  Red  Hook  lane,  within  half  a  mile  of  Gowanus 
creek,  when  it  was  halted  for  refreshment.  Within  sight 
of  their  comrades'  terrible  need,  while  the  sanguinary 
conflict  was  raging  in  almost  full  view  across  the  creek, 
these  men  found  stomach  to  complain  of  theii'  scanty  fare. 
During  the  half  hour  consumed  in  their  festive  operations, 
while  hundreds  of  their  countrymen  were  perishing  before 
them,  whom  a  few  volleys  might  have  relieved  from  pur- 
suit, some  of  the  strangest  incidents  occurred  which  a 
battle-field  ever  witnessed. 

The  limited  resources  of  the  new  Government  had  com- 
pelled the  adoption  of  an  economical  designation  of  ranks. 
For  this  purpose  the  cockades  of  the  field  officers  were 
red,  those  of  captains  were  white,  while  the  inferior  officers 
were  distinguished  by  wearing  those  of  green.  The  lieu- 
tenant-colonel and  the  major  were  now  observed  busily  em- 
ployed in  removing  these  insignia  of  their  rank  from 
their  hats.  The  nervous  curiosity  of  the  soldiers,  already 
alarmed,  and  keenly  sensitive  to  all  that  betokened  their 
approach  to  danger,  made  them  eagerly  demand  the  cause 
of  this  singular  self-degradation.    To  this,  the  lieutenant 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  227 

colonel,  whom  the  good  natured  soldier  narrating  these 
incidents  declares  to  have  heen  a  fine  officer  and  a  brave 
soldier,  most  naively  replied  that  "he  was  willing  to  risk 
his  life  in  the  cause  of  his  country,  but  was  unwilling  to 
stand  as  a  mark  for  the  enemy  to  fire  at." 

Another  officer  of  this  regiment,  a  gallant  lieutenant, 
inspired  by  remorse,  or  perhaps  rendered  maudlin  by 
potations  with  which  he  had  hoped  to  imbibe  courage, 
was  running  from  one  to  another  of  his  company,  beseech- 
ing all  to  forgive  his  offisnses,  and  declaring  with  lugubri- 
ous solemnity  that  he  most  generously  forgave  them  any 
wrong  they  might  have  designed  him.  At  that  particular 
moment  he  could  not  recollect  any  special  injury  which 
he  had  suffisred  from  their  malice ;  but  he  was  disposed 
to  be  generous,  and  to  make  a  clean  breast  of  it. 

A  private  soldier,  in  the  trepidation  which  the  conduct  of 
his  officers  had  fostered  if  not  inspired,  had,  unnoticed  by 
them,  marched  nearly  half  a  mile  from  the  resting  place 
unaware  of  the  loss  of  his  own  musket.  On  being 
accosted  by  one  of  his  comrades  with  the  inquiry  how  he 
had  disposed  of  it,  he  anxiously  clapped  one  hand  to  his 
side,  to  assure  himself  that  the  musket  was  in  his  posses- 
sion ;  but  finding  it  gone,  he  set  out  on  his  return  to  camp 
to  reclaim  it.  Luckily  a  cooler  comrade  had  brought  it 
on,  designing  to  ascertain  how  long  the  mental  abstraction 
caused  by  fear  would  keep  him  insensible  to  the  loss  of  his 
only  means  for  self-protection. 

It  was  this  regiment  of  men,  rendered  callous  to  every 
soldierly  appeal  by  the  brutal  selfishness  of  fear,  which 
passed,  as  we  have  seen,  with  such  unconcern,  the  little 
party  of  artillerists  who  were  painfully  dragging  their 


22S  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

heavy  gun  through  the  deep  sand  of  Eed  Hook  lane. 
The  zeal  and  self-devotion  of  those  brave  fellows  enabled 
them  to  inflict  a  noble  punishnient  upon  their  faint-hearted 
friends,  almost  equal  in  severity  to  that  which  they  be- 
stowed upon  the  enemy.  In  advancing  to  its  position  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  creek,  the  regiment  was  exposed  to 
a  galling  fire,  and  was  only  relieved  from  its  danger  by 
the  active  service  of  the  very  gun  which  it  had  so  stolidly 
refused  to  aid  in  bringing  into  action.  Whether  the 
officers  found  time  to  restore  the  cockades  to  their  hats, 
and  to  repent  of  their  poltroonery,  we  do  not  know ;  but 
the  only  considerable  service  we  hear  of,  as  performed  by 
them,  was  the  assistance  given  by  their  men  in  dragging 
out  upon  firm  ground  such  of  Stirling's  soldiers  as  escaped 
massacre  and  drowning.  "  These  fugitives,"  says  the 
narrator,  "  came  out  of  the  water  to  us,  looking  like 
drowned  rats,  and  were  truly  a  pitiful  sight.  Many  of 
them  were  killed  in  the  pond,  and  more  were  drowned ; 
and  when  the  tide  fell  we  found  a  number  of  corpses,  and 
a  great  many  arms,  sunk  in  the  pond  and  creek." 

Camping  here  for  the  night,  however,  we  shall  hear 
again  of  this  regiment  as  engaged  in  an  exploit  which 
required  a  temerity  that  appears  incredible.  The  feeble 
courage  of  the  officers  will  hardly  surprise  us,  when  we 
become  acquainted  with  the  means  by  which  such  rank 
was  obtained,  in  those  early  days  of  our  commonwealth 
of  which  we  are  accustomed  to  think  as  a  golden  age  of 
official  purity  and  patriotism.  In  the  town,  county,  and 
state  Committees  of  Safety,  was  vested  at  this  time  almost 
the  Entire  power  of  the  Government;  and  boastful  pre- 
tense, personal  prejudice,  and  unblushing  nepotism,  had 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


229 


lost  none  of  their  wonted  sway  in  organizations  which  were 
themselves  the  creations  of  a  town  caucus.^ 

The  Connecticut  militia  had  acquired  some  notoriety  in 
the  previous  campaign,  from  the  provincialism  of  their 
manners,  the  old-world  fashion  of  their  equipments  and 
uniforms,  and  their  scorn  of  military  discipline.  The 
slight  esteem  into  which  they  had  fallen,  on  these  accounts, 
had  become  still  less  in  consequence  of  the  frequent  panics 
which  added  to  their  disorder  and  insubordination ;  and 
the  not  infrequent  desertion  of  entire  picket  guards  and 
companies  had  brought  them  very  low  in  favor  with  the 
Commander-in-chief.  An  incident  which  occurred  a  few 
days  subsequently,  at  Kip's  Bay,  on  occasion  of  the  land- 
ing of  a  small  party  of  the  enemy,  will  illustrate  the  cha- 
racter of  these  troops.  Two  Connecticut  regiments, 
commanded  by  Gen.  Parsons,  fled  in  dismay  before  fifty 
or  sixty  of  the  enemy,  without  firing  a  shot,  leaving  their 
own  General,  and  Washington,  with  only  about  fifty  men 
to  resist  the  attack.  All  attempts  to  rally  them  utterly 
failed.  As  well  might  sheep  have  been  induced  to  make 
head  against  the  wolves,  so  ungovernable  was  their  panic. 
Under  the  disheartening  revelations  which  this  incident 
afibrded,  of  the  unfitness  of  the  material  with  which  he  had 
undertaken  the  mighty  task  of  securing  American  liber- 
ties, the  firmness  of  Washington  gave  way ;  and  flinging 
his  hat  upon  the  ground,  in  a  transport  of  indignation 
and  despair,  he  exclaimed,  "Are  these  the  men  with 
whom  I  am  to  defend  America  ?  "  ^  At  the  moment,  Gen. 
Greene  says,  he  sought  death  rather  than  life;  and,  bare- 

^  See  Gray  don's  Memoirs  of  a  Life  chiefly  spent  in  Pennsylvania. 
^Mead,  p.  236,  vol.  i ;  Graydon,  p.  174. 


230  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

headed  and  alone,  Washington  would  have  remained  to 
meet  his  fate  at  the  hands  of  the  advancing  enemy,  had 
not  his  bridle  been  seized  by  an  aid-de-camp,  who  pre- 
served the  life  of  the  Commander-in-chief  in  spite  of  the 
despair  which  made  him  for  the  time  indifferent  to  it. 

Another  incident  occurred  in  ITew  York,  during  the 
fortnight  subsequent  to  the  battle,  which  exhibits  in  a 
still  stronger  light  the  difficulties  with  which  Washington 
had  to  struggle,  and  the  feeble  patriotism  of  some  of  his 
troops.  Gov.  Trumbull  of  Connecticut,  fully  alive  to  the 
momentous  necessities  of  the  times,  had  tendered  to 
the  General  the  services  of  five  or  six  hundred  mounted 
farmers,  who  presented  themselves  in  'New  York,  soon 
after  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  under  the  command  of 
Col.  Thomas  Seymour.  On  being  informed  by  Washing- 
ton that  the  period  of  their  enlistment  was  too  short  to 
effect  a  discipline  which  would  make  them  useful  as  cavalry. 
Col.  Seymour,  with  all  the  appearance  of  a  generous  glow 
of  self-devotion,  offered  the  services  of  his  troops  as  infantry. 
A  few  days  of  camp  duty  and  hard  fare,  however,  deve- 
loped in  the  colonel  a  lawyer-like  acuteness  which  was 
more  creditable  to  his  shrewdness  than  to  his  patriotism. 
The  severity  of  the  service,  and  the  dangers  which  were 
thickening  around  the  hard-pressed  American  army,  made 
him  regret  his  rash  fervor ;  and,  at  the  end  of  three  or 
four  days,  he  informed  Washington  that  he  had  discovered 
that  it  was  contrary  to  the  laws  of  Connecticut  for  her 
cavalry  to  serve  as  infantry,  and  therefore  he  demanded 
the  dismissal  of  himself  and  troops.^    Washington  replied 


'  Irving's  Life  of  Washington,  vol.  ii,  p.  285. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


231 


contemptuously,  that  "  as  his  men  considered  themselves 
exempt  from  the  common  duty  of  soldiers,  would  not 
mount  guard,  do  garrison  duty,  or  perform  service  sepa- 
rate from  their  horses,  on  an  island  where  horse-troops 
could  not  be  brought  into  action,  he  did  not  care  how 
soon  they  were  dismissed."  ^ 

One  of  these  valiant  cavalrymen  had  been  in  some  capa- 
city on  Long  Island  during  the  action  of  the  twenty-seventh, 
and  the  unlucky  trooper  had  the  misfortune  to  be  captured. 
The  British  officers,  before  whom  he  was  brought,  were 
more  disposed  to  merriment  than  to  cruelty,  at  that  mo- 
ment, and  seemed  greatly  entertained  with  his  odd  military 
costume,  and  his  naive  address.  On  being  asked  what 
was  his  particular  line  of  duty  in  the  American  army,  he 
replied  that  it  was  "to  flank  a  little,  and  carry  tidings."^ 

But,  happily  for  the  destinies  of  the  country,  these  were 
not  the  only  troops  which  Washington  was  enabled  to 
bring  across  the  River,  for  the  reinforcement  of  his  lines. 
Fearing  an  assault  on  the  extreme  left,  he  had  early  in 
the  day  ordered  the  passage  of  the  two  Pennsylvania  bat- 
talions, commanded  by  Cols.  Shee  and  Magaw,  then 
stationed  at  King's  Bridge,  on  the  Harlem  river.  It  was 
late  in  the  afternoon  when  they  arrived  at  the  Brooklyn 
ferry;  and,  as  all  sounds  of  the  conflict  had  ceased,  they 
were  quartered  near,  for  the  purpose  of  crossing  at  early 
dawn.  The  panic  and  confusion  which  prevailed  in  ^Tew 
York  on  that  night  were  frightful.  The  news  of  the  defeat 
and  capture  of  the  army,  and  the  approach  of  a  sanguinary 


'  Oraydon. 

'  Qraydoni's  JHfemoira. 


232  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

enemy,  tortured  the  minds  of  citizens  and  of  soldiers ;  and, 
to  the  natural  apprehension  excited  by  them,  was  added 
the  great  difficulty  with  which  food  was  procured,  for  either 
officers  or  men.  At  the  Grand  Battery,  it  is  true,  barrels 
of  crackers  and  gunpowder,  and  boxes  of  bullets  and 
hard  bread,  stood  open  for  such  as  had  the  good  fortune 
to  espy,  and  the  providence  to  secure  them ;  but  there 
were  many  who  obtained  neither. 

i^ight  had  now  closed  in  upon  the  scene  of  defeat  and 
slaughter ;  and  for  seven  years  after  none  but  an  enemy's 
or  a  captive's  eye,  unless  perhaps  the  furtive  glance  of  secret 
friends,  rested  upon  that  gory  battle-field.  Long  before 
that  period  had  expired,  the  mournful  evidences  of  massacre 
and  inhumanity  had  been  hidden  in  the  woods  and 
thickets  upon  the  Brooklyn  hills,  or  were  sunk  in  the 
deep  slime  of  the  Gowanus  creek  and  meadows.  Within 
the  Brooklyn  lines  was  now  presented  a  scene  of  wild  dis- 
order and  confusion,  that  was  not  without  a  dramatic  and 
ludicrous  by-play  mingling  with  its  tragic  interest.  The 
utmost  astonishment  and  consternation  had  seized  the 
minds  of  officers  and  men,  at  the  manner  in  which  their 
defeat  had  been  effected.  "  For,"  as  it  was  said  by  Reed, 
"  had  Sir  Henry  Clinton  fallen  from  the  clouds,  his  pre- 
sence would  not  have  been  more  unexpected,"  than  when 
he  fell  upon  their  rear.  The  troops  who  had  arrived  from 
!N"ew  York,  subsequent  to  the  combat,  were  eager  to  learn 
the  particulars  of  a  battle,  only  vague  rumors  of  which  had 
reached  them.  To  gratify  the  cravings  of  curiosity,  and 
to  allay  the  pangs  of  hunger,  were  alike  objects  of  atten- 
tion ;  and  groups  of  soldiers  who  had  survived  the  carnage, 
and  whom  the  darkness  now  permitted  to  enter  the  lines, 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  233 

were  eagerly  importuned  to  narrate  what  they  had  seen 
and  had  suffered. 

During  the  night  the  number  of  those  fortunate  fugi- 
tives who  were  enabled  to  effect  their  escape,  and  to  reach 
the  lines,  was  very  considerable;  for  the  investiture  of 
the  entrenched  village  of  Brooklyn,  although  close,  was, 
from  the  nature  of  the  ground,  not  without  gaps  on  the 
salt  meadows  and  bogs.  The  dense  woods  and  thickets 
which  then  covered  more  than  three-fourths  of  the  site  of 
the  present  city,  greatly  favored  the  attempt  to  pass  the 
enemy's  pickets  and  scouts.  The  great  swamp  which 
then  extended  its  tangled  maze,  along  the  present  line  of 
Grand  and  Flushing  avenues,  from  Wallabout  bay  to 
I^"ewtown  creek,  was  too  dense  to  allow  pursuit  of  the 
fugitives,  while  its  devious  paths,  familiar  to  many  of  them, 
led  over  morasses  too  treacherous  and  threatening  for  a 
stranger's  foot.^ 

Gen.  Parsons,  a  brave  Connecticut  officer,  who  com- 
manded on  the  extreme  left  during  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-seventh,  was  surrounded  by  the  enemy  in  a  swamp, 
where  is  now  the  basin  marked  for  a  lake  in  Prospect  Park ; 
but,  eluding  his  pursuers  until  night  set  in,  he  was  fortunate 
enough  to  succeed  in  reaching  the  entrenchments.^  A  body 
of  American  troops  made  so  vigorous  a  push  upon  the 
enemy's  lines  near  Bedford,  that  eighty  of  their  number 
broke  their  way  through,  after  close,  hard  fighting,  and 

^  This  dense  mass  of  foliage,  covering  some  hundreds  of  acres  of  bog  and 
lowland,  remained  through  the  Revolution ;  and  its  secret  paths  afforded 
passage  to  many  an  exile  furtively  revisiting  his  home,  and  many  an  agent  of 
the  provincial  Congress. 

"  Gen.  Parsons  was  said  by  Lieut.  Col.  Grant  to  have  been  the  person  who 
wounded  him. 

30 


234  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

escaped.  Taking  the  jN"ewtown  and  Astoria  road,  they 
crossed  the  river  at  Hellgate,  and  came  in  during  the 
next  day. 

The  alarmed  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  towns,  who 
had  abandoned  their  homes  on  the  landing  of  the  invad- 
ers, and  had  fled  to  the  Brooklyn  lines,  added  another 
element  of  confusion  to  the  masses  which  thronged  the 
little  entrenched  peninsula.  Twelve  or  fifteen  hundred 
horned  cattle,  gathered  from  the  farms  of  Flatbush  and  the 
adjacent  towns  by  military  order,  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
priving the  enemy  of  their  use  as  supplies  —  which, 
notwithstanding,  fell  into  his  hands  on  the  evacuation  of 
Brooklyn  —  were  now  roaming  about  the  trampled  camps, 
which  afforded  them  no  sustenance,  and  lowing  for  the 
rich  pastures  from  which  they  had  been  driven.  Early 
in  the  evening  a  heavy  thunder  shower  had  fallen  upon 
the  unprotected  troops,  and  added  greatly  to  the  general 
discomfort ;  but  now  that  it  had  ceased,  the  camp  fires 
threw  their  ruddy  glow  upon  the  groups  which  were  col- 
lected amid  the  strange  scenes  of  this  bivouac  of  a  defeated 
army.  The  quaint,  Dutch  structures,  so  familiar  to  us, 
which  straggled  here  and  there  along  the  narrow  country 
roads,  clustered  thicker  around  the  little  octagonal  Church 
which  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  Jamaica  road,  near  the 
crossing  of  the  present  Fulton  avenue  and  Bridge  street. 
These  were  occupied  by  the  officers ;  while  the  half  uni 
formed,  and  scarcely  more  than  half-clothed,  soldiers  of  the 
republic  were  stretched  wearily  upon  the  wet  ground, 
or  grouped  around  the  camp  fires,  broiling  their  salt  pork  on 
the  coals,  or  perhaps  employed  in  dividing  one  of  the 
slaughtered  cattle.    Here  the  exiled  families  of  the  neigh- 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


235 


boring  farmers  clustered  around  the  farm-wagons  which 
had  brought  them  and  their  household  gear  to  these  un- 
wonted scenes,  where  they  sat,  startled  by  the  present, 
and  appalled  at  the  prospects  of  the  future.  On  the  verge, 
where  the  glow  and  the  shadow  met,  might  be  seen  herds 
of  the  captured  cattle,  for  a  moment  standing  with  their 
great  horns  and  eager  eyes  thrust  forward  into  the  light, 
and  anon,  frightened  by  some  of  these  unfamiliar  sights 
and  sounds,  sweeping  away,  as  with  the  rush  of  a  troop  of 
cavalry,  into  the  darkness. 

When,  to  these  weird  scenes,  is  added  the  gloom 
which  that  night  had  fallen  upon  our  country's  hopes, 
the  apprehension  of  the  sudden  night-assault,  or  of  the 
onset  of  the  victorious  foe  upon  the  morrow,  the  mad- 
dening thought  that  scarcely  a  mile  away,  upon  the  hills, 
lay  two  thousand  of  their  countrymen,  tortured  with 
stiffening  wounds  or  silent  in  death  —  we  can  easily 
picture  to  ourselves  the  horrors  which  then  clustered 
around  the  spot  upon  which  now  stand  the  edifices  of  a 
great  and  prosperous  city. 

Even  up  to  the  night  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  August, 
the  general  officers  of  the  American  army  clung  to  the 
unhappy  delusion  that  it  was  still  possible  to  defend  l^ew 
York;  and,  as  its  possession  could  not  be  maintained  with- 
out the  occupation  of  Brooklyn,  Washington  indulged 
their  hopes,  or  perhaps  submitted  to  that  overruling  of  his 
judgment,  which  the  undetermined  powers  of  his  com- 
mand at  the  time  compelled.  This  decision  was  attended 
with  less  danger,  as  the  movements  of  the  enemy's  fleet 
and  army  had  convinced  the  Commander-in-chief,  at  eight 
o'clock,  that  no  immediate  assault  was  intended.  To 


236  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

decide  for  the  enemy,  almost  in  advance  of  the  conscious- 
ness by  him  of  his  own  intentions,  is  the  peculiar  power 
of  a  great  General;  and  on  this  occasion  Washington 
justified  that  appellation,  by  acting  upon  his  anticipation 
of  the  enemy's  movements  as  confidently  as  if  he  had 
been  present  at  their  council.  To  his  calm  judgment  it 
was  clear  that  Lord  Howe  would  never  risk  the  safety  of 
his  fleet  in  passing  the  heavy  shore-batteries  ;  nor  would 
the  General,  his  brother,  with  the  carnage  of  Charlestown 
heights  still  present  in  his  memory,  shatter  his  splendid 
army  by  hurling  it  on  a  paltry  breastwork,  which  could 
be  so  certainly  and  safely  taken  by  regular  approaches. 
Everything  combined  to  convince  Washington  that  the 
blow  was  suspended,  and  would  not  immediately  fall.  At 
night  the  fleet  was  still  at  anchor,  without  exhibiting  any 
tokens  of  a  movement,  the  possibility  of  which  was 
indeed  precluded  by  the  unvarying  direction  of  the  wind. 
All  the  wide  semicircle  of  bills  glowed  with  the  camp- 
fires  of  the  enemy's  land  forces,  and  all  signs  of  prepara- 
tion for  an  assault  had  ceased.  After  the  most  careful 
preparations  to  resist  a  night  attack,  Washington  at  length 
submitted  the  fate  of  his  army  to  the  issue  of  a  battle 
in  which  it  should  stand  behind  its  entrenchments,  and  so 
awaited  the  fortunes  of  the  morrow. 

Among  the  incidents  of  this  night,  one  which  tradition 
has  preserved  is  worthy  of  narration,  although  history 
bas  not  deigned  to  record  it,  as  it  is  associated  with  the 
brave  defense  of  an  isolated  position.  On  the  narrow  lane 
wbich  skirted  the  shore  of  Gowanus  bay,  near  where 
Third  avenue  is  intersected  by  Twenty-third  street,  yet 
stands  the  house  of  Wynant  Bennet,  its  walls  scarred  and 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  237 

indented  by  the  grape-shot  fired  during  this  night  from 
British  or  Hessian  guns.  From  the  lips  of  the  then  pro- 
prietor, the  story  of  its  occupation  and  defense,  narrated 
to  members  of  his  family  still  living,  is  derived.  Mr.  Ben- 
net,  and  some  of  his  whig  neighbors,  had  participated  in 
the  sanguinary  conflict  vrhich  raged  around  his  dwelling; 
and,  from  his  knowledge  of  the  peculiar  advantages  of  the 
vicinity  for  defense,  may  have  suggested  its  occupation  by 
a  portion  of  Stirling's  troops. 

Although  we  cannot  learn  without  regret  that  the  names 
of  those  brave  Long  Island  farmers,  who  fought  for  home 
and  country  in  the  battle  which  raged  along  their  pleasant 
farms,  have  not  come  down  to  us,  we  are  still  glad  to  find 
undoubted  evidence  that  some  of  them  were  faithful,  where 
treason  was  safety. 

The  position  of  Wynant  Bennet's  house,  in  conjunction 
with  the  adjacent  J^noll  and  creek,  gave  it  the  character 
of  a  formidable  redoubt ;  as  the  sand-banks  and  thickets 
could  not  be  battered  down  by  cannon  shot,  and  the 
house  was  below  the  range  of  the  batteries.  It  stood 
about  fifty  yards  from  the  bay,  in  one  of  those  sheltered 
nooks  at  the  foot  of  the  hills,  in  which  our  Dutch  farmers 
loved  so  well  to  nestle  their  dwellings.  Half  that  distance 
from  its  door,  toward  the  south,  the  tide  flowed  through  a 
narrow  creek,  to  a  bog,  which  extended  in  a  south-easterly 
direction  for  a  hundred  yards  beyond  the  house.  On  a 
shght  bridge,  the  road  to  the  N"arrows  crossed  this  little 
bayou,  and  wound  in  a  sharp  curve  over  a  sand-hill  or 
blufl[*,  called  Bluckie's  Barracks.  Hidden  between  the 
sides  of  a  deep  cut  in  the  hill,  the  road,  winding  along  its 
eastern  face,  was  completely  obscured  from  the  view  of 


238  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  enemy  advancing  from  the  south,  and  enabled  the 
American  riflemen,  under  Col.  Atlee,  to  occupy  it  with 
great  annoyance  to  the  British,  and  almost  perfect  security 
to  themselves.  Added  to  these  favorable  features  for  a 
defensive  position,  the  bluff'  jutted  out  so  far  into  the  bay 
as  to  be  well  protected  by  its  waters,  and  was  covered 
with  a  tangled  forest,  which  aided  in  the  concealment  and 
protection  of  its  defenders.  The  crushing  of  Stirling's 
left  and  centre  on  the  hills,  left  this  point  so  far  to  the  left 
of  Gen.  Grant's  force,  that  it  was  doubtless  considered  by 
its  officers  unnecessary  to  risk  the  loss  of  such  numbers  of 
their  men  as  must  have  fallen  in  assaulting  the  position, 
which  was  scarcely  less  formidable  in  its  defenses,  than  in- 
significant by  its  isolation.  By  adopting  a  different  policy 
the  Americans  lost  the  battle  of  Germantown,  in  checking 
their  pursuit  of  a  flying  foe,  to  make  a  useless  assault  on 
Chew's  house,  under  a  murderous  fire  from  the  squad  of 
infantry,  who,  in  their  flight,  had  found  protection  within 
its  walls. 

During  the  conflict  between  Stirling  and  Grant  in  the 
morning,  the  sharp  fire  of  Atlee's  and  Kichline's  riflemen, 
stationed  here,  had  more  than  once  turned  back  the  ad- 
vancing enemy.^  As  the  dense  files  of  the  detachments 
from  Grant's  division  moved  up  the  narrow  winding 
road,  the  sharp  crack  of  the  American  rifles  would  burst 


^  Mr.  Garret  Bergen,  an  aged  resident  of  Gowanus,  wlio  died  a  few  years 
since,  was  accustomed  to  narrate  an  incident  that  occurred  during  the  battle, 
of  wMcli  lie  was  a  witness.  The  fire  of  the  American  riflemen  had  become 
so  deadly,  that  a  British  sub-ofl&cer  rushed  into  the  farm-house  in  a  panic  of 
fear,  declaring  that  he  would  not  remain  on  the  field  exposed  to  certain 
death,  from  a  hidden  foe  who  picked  off  all  the  officers. —  Statement  by  the 
late  John  G.  Bergen. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  239 

from  the  thickets  and  clumps  of  trees  on  the  banks  above. 
In  a  few  minutes,  these  deadly  discharges  became  too 
fatal  for  endurance,  by  men  exposed  to  an  enfilading  fire 
without  the  opportunity  for  retaliation  or  defense,  and 
the  detachment  was  withdrawn.  Every  advance  of  the 
British,  in  this  direction,  was  repulsed;  and  it  is  be- 
lieved that  from  Kichline's  rifles  on  the  hill,  and  the 
defenders  of  Bluckie's  Barracks  on  the  right,  the  enemy 
suffered  the  greater  part  of  the  loss  reported  by  Grant  in 
his  division. 

Tradition  preserves  another  incident  occurring  on  this 
spot.  When  the  dreadful  rout  began,  and  the  broken  ranks 
of  the  American  army,  crushed  together  in  a  mob  of  flying 
and  despairing  men,  torn  by  the  storm  of  grape  and  volleys 
of  musketry,  were  skirting  the  borders  of  Freeke's  and  Den- 
ton's mill-ponds,  to  seek  a  crossing  place,  it  is  probable  that 
the  Islanders  engaged  in  the  battle,  conscious  that  escape 
in  that  direction  was  nearly  hopeless,  turned  their  flight  in 
the  opposite  one.  All  the  frightful  dangers  of  that  morass 
and  creek,  into  which  so  many  of  their  countrymen  were 
blindly  plunging,  were  familiar  to  them ;  and  they  sought 
shelter  in  a  position  whose  advantages  for  a  desperate 
defense  were  more  to  be  trusted  than  the  terrors  of  the 
creek  and  marsh.  Thrust  back  from  every  other  channel 
of  escape,  our  sturdy  farmers,  alarmed  for  their  families, 
as  well  as  for  themselves,  instinctively  sought  the  homes 
which  till  now  had  sheltered  them.  But  a  few  days 
before,  Mr.  Bennet  and  his  neighbors  had  furbished  up 
their  fowling  pieces,  in  anticipation  of  the  hour  of  battle, 
and  now,  with  all  its  grim  horrors,  it  was  upon  them.  In 
these  quiet  homes,  that  nestled  in  the  glades  and  under 


240  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  hills,  they  had  been  preparing  for  war  without  know- 
ing anything  of  its  sad  realities.  Soon  after  the  news  of 
the  landing  of  the  British  reached  him,  Mr.  Bennet  had 
cut  the  lead  sinkers  from  his  seines  and  fikes,  and  his 
wife  had  aided  him  in  moulding  them  into  bullets. 
Others  had  sacrificed  their  pewter  spoons,  to  form  the 
balls  they  had  this  day  sped  on  their  errands  of  death. 
And  now  they  were  flying  before  the  enemy  they  had 
relied  so  confidently  upon  repulsing. 

"While  part  of  their  number  were  stationed  in  the 
thickets  on  the  hill,  or  lined  the  borders  of  the  deep  cut 
in  the  road,  others  garrisoned  the  house,  and  guarded  the 
northern  gate  of  their  stronghold,  the  bridge.  So  fierce 
had  been  the  resistance  by  the  riflemen,  and  so  bloody 
the  repulse  of  the  British  in  their  assaults  during  the  fore- 
noon, that  night  found  the  Americans  still  in  possession 
of  this  isolated  outpost.  Late  in  the  afternoon  a  boat 
with  one  or  two  officers  had  passed  Red  Hook,  and  come 
down  to  this  point,  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  some  in- 
formation of  Stirling's  division ;  and  it  was  perhaps  owing 
to  their  suggestions,  and  their  encouragement  to  hold 
out  until  night,  that  these  dispositions  for  defense  were 
taken. 

"While  preparations  were  making  for  departure,  under 
cover  of  the  darkness,  a  number  of  soldiers,  with  the 
recklessness  of  their  class,  occupied  their  time  in  playing 
a  game  of  cards  in  a  room  of  Wynant  Bennet's  house. 
The  rays,  streaming  through  the  narrow  window,  attracted 
the  attention  of  some  British  artillerymen  upon  the  hill, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  card  party  were  startled  by  the 
heavy  roar  of  a  field-piece  at  no  great  distance ;  but  as  no 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


241 


result  followed  that  indicated  their  group  to  be  the  target, 
the  game  was  continued.  The  gun  was  fired  again,  and 
again,  until  the  proper  range  was  obtained,  when  the  crash 
of  a  shot  against  the  side  of  the  house,  close  to  the  window, 
suddenly  terminated  the  game.  Several  shots  struck  the 
house  —  marks  of  whose  passage  are  still  visible  —  the 
hght,  which  the  party  left  burning  in  the  haste  of  their 
departure,  indicating  its  position  so  well  as  to  render  the 
aim  of  the  gunners  tolerably  accurate. 

In  the  meantime,  all  the  boats  of  the  neighboring  creek 
and  shore,  whose  usual  place  of  mooring  was  familiar  to 
the  inhabitants,  had  been  collected ;  and,  at  a  short  time 
after  midnight,  all  the  occupants  of  Bluckie's  barracks 
had  been  embarked  and  rowed  over  the  River  to  ]^ew 
York.  Bennet's  house  was  abandoned  by  the  family, 
who  accompanied  the  retreating  troops,  from  appre- 
hension that  the  repulse  which  the  enemy  had  sufi*ered 
in  its  neighborhood,  might  have  so  exasperated  them, 
that  little  distinction  would  be  made  by  them  between 
soldiers  and  non-combatants.^ 

In  the  camp  within  the  Brooklyn  lines,  the  night  wore 
slowly  away  to  the  weary  and  anxious  soldier,  who  there 
found  security,  but  not  repose.  The  usual  camp-alarms, 
which  spread  anxious  thrills  through  a  body  of  broken 
and  dispirited  men,  in  the  presence  of  a  powerful  and 


*  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  battle  of  the  twenty-seventh  of  August  was  a 
series  of  unconnected  skirmishes,  in  which  detachments  of  the  American 
army,  cut  off  from  the  main  body,  fought  here  and  there  amid  the  dense 
woods,  or  narrow  passes,  as  accident  or  skill  afforded  them  an  opportunity 
for  successful  resistance.  Few  of  these  stands,  however,  have  left  the  evi- 
dence of  the  struggles  around  them,  so  plainly  as  the  humble  farm-house 
of  Wynant  Bennet. 

31 


242  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

victorious  enemy,  were  not  infrequent  during  the  long 
night ;  but  when  the  dawn  arose  upon  the  dull,  leaden 
sky,  the  sounds  of  conflict,  or  of  angry  watchfulness,  grew 
more  frequent.  Here  and  there  along  the  lines,  the  dis- 
charges of  musketry,  or  the  sharp  ring  of  a  rifle,  gave 
token  of  the  proximity  of  the  enemy.  But  as  the  morn- 
ing light  increased,  other  sounds  evinced  his  energy  and 
determination ;  for  the  dull  thuds  of  the  pick  announced 
that  the  enemy  was  himself  entrenching.  At  the  distance 
of  six  hundred  yards  from  Fort  Putnam,  on  the  high 
ground  near  the  present  junction  of  De  Kalb  and  Clinton 
avenues,  just  out  of  rifle  range,  the  breast- works  of  a 
redoubt  began  to  appear.  Gen.  Howe  had  prudently 
declined  the  tempting  opportunity  which  the  ardor  of  his 
men  presented  him,  of  assaulting  the  feeble  entrenchments 
so  thinly  manned  by  the  dispirited  troops  he  had  lately 
defeated;  and  he  was  now  securely  making  his  advances 
by  a  regular  siege.  How  little  effective  resistance  could 
have  been  made,  we  at  this  day  probably  know  much  better 
than  did  either  of  the  contending  parties. 

The  American  guards  slept  at  their  posts,  although  fre- 
quently aroused  by  their  officers,  and  threatened  with 
instant  death  on  the  repetition  of  the  offence.  So  great 
were  the  weariness  and  stupor  which  fell  on  these  worn 
survivors  of  the  battle,  that,  although  the  rain  fell  in 
torrents  during  the  evening,  until  the  camp  was  flooded 
with  water,  they  slept  upon  the  soaked  earth,  and  in  the 
pools  of  water,  unconscious  of  the  peals  of  thunder  and  the 
vivid  lightning.  The  decision  of  Gen.  Howe,  now  so  ap- 
parent, while  it  relieved  the  Americans  from  the  immediate 
apprehensions  of  an  assault,  only  delayed  the  approach  of 


INTRODUCTOKY  NARRATIVE. 


243 


a  danger  but  little  less  threatening.  In  a  few  hours  the 
cannon  shot  and  shell,  from  the  redoubt  now  being  con- 
structed, would  be  crashing  through  the  lines,  from  a 
distance  which  made  its  position  unassailable. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Washington  was  hurrying  to  the 
defense  of  his  lines  every  soldier  who  could  be  withdrawn 
from  I^ew  York.  The  remnant  of  Smallwood's  battalion, 
and  the  Pennsylvania  battalions  of  Cols.  Shee  and  Magaw, 
were  joined  by  Glovers  Marblehead  regiment,  and  soon 
after  daylight,  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-eighth,  were 
hurried  across  the  river,  and  marched  to  the  extreme  left 
of  the  entrenched  lines,  on  the  ground  between  Wal- 
labout  bay  and  Fort  Putnam.  On  this  low  marshy  land, 
saturated  with  the  heavy  rains  of  the  previous  night,  these 
regiments  were  encamped,  where  the  discomfort  and  un- 
wholesomeness  of  their  position  were  increased  by  the 
drizzhng  rain  which  fell  throughout  the  day.  IN'othing 
could  better  evince  the  depression  which  pervaded  the 
troops  that  occupied  the  lines  of  the  Brooklyn  entrench- 
ments, than  the  expressions  of  joy  with  which  they  re- 
ceived these  reinforcements.  To  most  of  them  it  must  have 
appeared  like  a  reprieve  from  death,  as  they  fully  compre- 
hended the  weakness  of  their  position,  and  the  certain 
results  of  an  assault  upon  it.  There  was  little,  however, 
in  the  condition  of  the  arriving  troops  to  induce  self- 
gratulation ;  for  the  fatal  camp  dysentery,  and  malarious 
fevers,  had  thinned  their  ranks  as  effectually  as  a  bloody 
battle,  and  the  remembrance  of  the  hundreds  of  their 
comrades  left  behind  them,  lying  in  their  camp  hospitals, 
or  resting  in  a  soldier's  grave,  had  lessened  their  confi- 
dence and  eflSlciency. 


244  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

The  combined  forces  of  the  regiments  gathered  at  this 
point,  amounted  to  thirteen  hundred  men ;  and  though 
greatly  reduced  from  their  original  numbers,  still,  by  dint 
of  hard  drilling,  by  officers  who  were  emulous  to  excel  in 
discipline,  they  presented  a  soldierly  appearance,  strongly 
in  contrast  with  the  mob  of  disorderly  and  insubordinate 
men  which  filled  the  ranks  of  other  regiments.  Washing- 
ton himself  attests  their  superiority,  in  one  of  his  letters, 
by  saying :  "  They  had  43een  trained  with  more  than 
ordinary  attention."  The  ground  which  they  occupied 
was  not  only  low  and  marshy,  but  gave  very  unfavorable 
promise  of  successful  defense.  From  the  head  of  a  small 
creek  emptying  into  Wallabout  bay,  near  the  present 
Raymond  and  Tillary  streets,  the  line  of  defense  extended 
along  the  slightly  ascending  ground,  to  the  vicinity  of 
Park  avenue,  and  was  not  only  entirely  overlooked  by  the 
hills  occupied  by  the  British,  but  would  be  completely 
covered  by  the  range  of  the  batteries  they  were  mounting 
in  the  redoubt.  As  the  nature  of  the  low  ground  in  their 
front  forbade  the  construction  of  breast-works,  it  was  de- 
fended, as  we  have  seen,  by  a  wide  ditch,  the  embankment 
formed  by  the  earth  thrown  from  it  being  surmounted  by 
a  fraise  of  sharp-pointed  stakes,  firmly  planted  on  its  top. 

If  sleep  were  possible  on  the  sodden  earth,  the  pangs  of 
hunger,  to  which  the  defenders  of  this  part  of  the  line  were 
now  a  prey,  would  have  driven  it  away.  Abundant  sup- 
plies had  been  distributed ;  but  the  rain  had  saturated  the 
bread  in  their  haversacks,  and  extinguished  the  fires 
kindled  for  cooking  their  salt  pork.  Without  tents,  or 
shelter  of  any  kind,  it  was  remembered  for  many  years 
afterward  by  Capt.  Graydon,  of  Shee's  regiment,  with 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


245 


what  gratification  he  partook  of  a  slice  of  fat  barbecued  pig, 
procured  by  one  of  his  men  at  the  risk  of  his  life.  Close 
to  the  entrenchments,  stood  a  farm  house,  from  whose 
dangerous  proximity  to  both  contending  forces  the  inha- 
bitants had  fled ;  and  their  deserted  home  and  farm-yard 
furnished  to  the  famished  soldiers  both  the  welcome  food, 
and  the  fire  for  its  cooking.  Even  the  exposure  of  their 
position  to  the  hottest  of  the  enemy's  fire,  had  not  suffi- 
cient terror  to  overcome  the  fierce  demands  of  hunger. 

At  last  the  slow  hours  of  that  twenty-eighth  of  August 
wore  away.  Even  the  drizzling  rain,  the  pangs  of  hunger, 
and  the  dreary  wretchedness  of  the  muddy  bivouac,  were 
at  times  unfelt,  when  tokens  of  an  immediate  general 
assault  upon  the  entrenchments  became  more  threatening. 
Along  nearly  the  whole  extent  of  the  lines,  a  skirmishing 
fire  was  maintained  during  the  day,  which  increased  at 
times  at  different  points  to  such  a  degree,  and  was  re- 
turned by  such  heavy  volleys  from  the  enemy,  that  regi- 
ments were  formed,  and  preparations  made,  for  repelling 
an  attack  by  the  enemy's  whole  line.  Indeed,  so  constant 
were  the  discharges  from  the  American  entrenchments, 
and  so  frequent  the  heavy  crash  of  concentrating  firing, 
that  from  Wallabout  bay,  across  the  entire  neck  of  the 
peninsula,  and  along  the  mill-ponds  and  creek  to  Gowanus 
bay,  there  seemed  to  be  a  line  of  battle  heavily  engaged. 

This  skirmishing  engagement  was  encouraged  by  the 
ofiicers,  in  accordance  with  "Washington's  orders,  as  it 
served  in  some  degree  to  inspire  confidence  in  his  beaten 
and  dispirited  troops,  and  also  warned  the  enemy  of  the 
maintenance  of  our  lines  by  a  heavy  force.  "Washington 
still  retained  his  intention  of  risking  the  great  battle  which 


246  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

he  deemed  inevitable,  behind  the  Brooklyn  entrenchments; 
for  all  his  movements  indicate  that,  up  to  this  time,  the 
idea  of  a  retreat  from  Long  Island  had  not  been  enter- 
tained. In  fact,  the  almost  blind  confidence  of  the  General 
in  his  insubordinate,  ill-disciplined,  and  poorly  armed 
forces  is  quite  inexplicable ;  for  he  manoeuvred  them  in 
positions  which  would  have  tried  the  nerves  of  veteran 
soldiers,  and  raw  recruits  were  thrust  forward  into  battle 
with  the  most  thoroughly  disciplined  army  of  Europe. 

The  constantly  recurring  showers  had  caused  the  sus- 
pension of  work  upon  the  British  redoubt,  but  the  enemy 
seized  the  occasion  of  a  heavy  thunder-storm  to  make  a 
demonstration  upon  the  American  lines.  They  doubt- 
less expected  to  find  the  Americans  unprepared,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  damage  to  their  ammunition  and  fire-arms; 
which  would  not  equally  affect  the  efficiency  of  the  as- 
saulting force,  relying  solely  upon  their  bayonets.  Three 
strong  columns,  said  by  the  current  accounts  to  have 
consisted  of  their  entire  force,  were  thrown  forward  at 
difierent  points  between  Fort  Putnam  and  Fort  Box,  but 
were  met  by  such  heavy  volleys  along  the  whole  line,  that 
they  were  not  pushed  to  the  assault,  but  were  recalled  as 
soon  as  the  firm  resistance,  of  the  heavy  force  manning  the 
works,  was  demonstrated  by  the  attempt.  The  British 
officers  stormed  with  rage  at  the  restraint  upon  their 
courage,  imposed  by  the  excessive  caution  of  their  com- 
mander, and  expressed  the  utmost  scorn  of  the  paltry 
works  before  them,  and  of  the  contemptible  mob  of 
farmers  and  tradesmen  which  defended  them. 

The  assault  at  no  point  was  a  surprise.  Fortunately, 
perhaps,  their  very  destitution  of  shelter  made  the  vicinity 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


247 


of  the  breast-works  as  comfortable  for  the  bivouac  of  the 
American  troops  as  any  position  within  the  lines ;  and  the 
men,  in  compliance  with  orders,  lay  upon  their  firelocks 
during  the  storm,  to  protect  them  with  their  bodies. 
Upon  the  announcement  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
the  troops  sprang  at  once  behind  the  parapet  with  their 
arms  and  ammunition,  thus  preserved,  in  condition  to 
meet  and  turn  back  the  assaulting  columns. 

There  were  evidences  of  concert  between  these  move- 
ments and  an  expected  one  by  the  fleet,  which,  at  the 
same  time,  made  strenuous  exertions  to  bring  its  guns  to 
aid  the  attack ;  but  the  elements,  which  combined  for  the 
discomfort  of  the  American  troops,  seemed  to  have  been 
also  arrayed  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  their  destruction. 
The  wind  either  lulled  entirely,  or  held  obstinately  in  the 
north-east,  and  thus  baffled  every  effort  of  Lord  Howe  to 
sail  his  fleet  into  the  East  River,  where  it  had  but  to 
appear,  and  the  destiny  of  America  was  fixed.  On  what 
slight  casualties,  what  unexpected  conjunctures  of  the 
most  insignificant  atiairs,  hung  the  fate  of  the  army,  and 
of  the  cause  of  liberty  ! 

Another  long  and  gloomy  night  passed  wearily  away, 
and  the  depressing  influences  of  their  situation  began  to 
wear  upon  the  spirits  and  endurance  of  the  bravest  of  the 
troops.  It  was  evident  to  all,  that  their  occupation  of 
Brooklyn  was  limited  to  the  time  when  the  guns  from  the 
enemy's  fleet  and  batteries  should  open  fire  upon  their 
position.  During  the  night,  the  British  had  so  far  com- 
pleted their  redoubt  as  to  mount  their  great  guns  upon  it, 
and  to  be  in  readiness  for  opening  their  fire  on  the  succeed- 
ing day. 


248  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

A  dense  fog  hung  over  the  Island  and  River,  when  the 
morning  of  the  twenty-ninth  dawned.  The  obscurity 
which  shut  from  the  view  every  object  at  the  distance  of 
a  few  yards,  delayed  the  opening  of  the  fire  from  the 
British  batteries ;  and  it  was  not  until  late  in  the  forenoon 
that  the  heavy  mist  lifted  sufficiently  to  permit  the  observ- 
ation of  objects  within  the  lines.  The  guns  in  the  redoubt 
on  the  Clinton  avenue  height  began  at  once  a  vigorous 
cannonade  upon  Fort  Putnam,  which  replied,  with  its 
five  heavy  pieces,  sending  their  solid  shot  into  various 
points  within  the  British  lines.  With  regard  to  the  effect 
of  this  fire,  American  accounts  have  preserved  the  same 
reticence  as  on  most  subjects  connected  with  the  history  of 
the  siege,  and  have  left  us  nothing  to  communicate.  The 
British  accounts,  however,  treat  the  whole  affair  with 
great  levity,  and  assert  that  the  American  cannon  balls 
flew  high  over  their  heads.^ 

The  inclemency  of  the  previous  night,  and  the  opening 
of  the  great  siege  guns  upon  the  fort  and  lines  near 
them,  had  engendered  a  feeling  of  extreme  despondency  in 
the  minds  of  the  officers  of  the  Pennsylvania  battalions, 
which  guarded  the  extreme  left  of  the  fortifications. 
During  the  morning  of  the  twenty-ninth.  Col.  Shee, 
without  calling  a  council  of  his  officers,  had  obtained  in 
private,  from  most  of  them,  an  expression  of  opinion  re- 
garding the  safety  of  their  position.     Capt.  Graydon's 


^ "  On  the  twenty-ninth,  the  British  riflemen  sheltered  themselves  behind 
the  houses  of  Mr,  Cowenhoven  and  Mr.  Bergen,  near  the  lines,  and  to  pre- 
vent them  from  using  these  protections  for  annoying  our  troops,  the  houses 
were  set  on  fire  by  the  Americans,  and  consumed."  Oen.  Johnson's  Manu- 
sci'vpt  Journal. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  249 

prompt  statement  that  their  situation  was  a  very  dis- 
couraging one,  doubtless  represented  the  belief  of  all; 
for  he  was  directed  by  Col.  Shee  to  hasten  to  the  quar- 
ters of  Col.  Joseph  Reed,  and  request  him  to  ride 
down  to  that  part  of  the  lines  —  with  the  design  of 
urging  him  to  propose  a  retreat  without  loss  of  time. 
Col.  Shee  at  the  same  time  remarked  that  it  was  his  belief 
that  unless  his  forces  were  soon  withdrawn  from  their 
dangerous  position,  they  would  all  be  cut  to  pieces. 
Capt.  Graydon  did  not  find  the  adjutant-general  at  his 
quarters,  as  he  had  a  short  time  previously  ridden  down 
to  the  battery  on  Bed  Hook,  in  company  with  General 
Mifflin,  and  Col.  Grayson  of  Virginia,  one  of  Washing- 
ton's aids.  The  former  had  been  in  command  of  the 
forces  stationed  at  King's  Bridge,  and  had  only  the  day 
before  arrived  in  camp.  The  Red  Hook  redoubt  was 
situated  on  a  knoll,  in  the  centre  of  a  little  peninsula 
of  upland,  scarcely  more  than  twenty  acres  in  extent, 
which  rose,  at  the  highest  point,  no  more  than  twenty 
feet  above  the  great  salt  meadow  that  surrounded  it. 
Its  site  is  believed  to  be  intersected  by  Van  Brunt  and 
Van  Dyke  streets.  Although  a  work  of  but  little  import- 
ance, the  severe  battering  it  had  undergone  from  the  Roe- 
buck, on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-seventh,  impressed 
the  minds  of  these  officers  with  greater  despondency 
than  had  all  the  sad  events  of  which  the  last  few  days 
had  been  so  full.  From  the  condition  of  this  earth- 
work, torn  and  rent  by  the  distant  guns  of  a  single  ship, 
could  be  easily  foreseen  the  effect  of  the  broadsides  of  a 
powerful  fleet,  poured  at  short  range  upon  the  American 
forces  along  the  East  River. 

32 


250 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


A  curious  phenomenon  permitted  Col.  Reed  and  his  com- 
panions to  clearly  observe  that  fleet,  at  anchor  near  the 
IS'arrows.  The  dense  fog,  which  covered  both  sea  and 
land  with  an  impenetrable  cloud,  was  rolled  away  from 
the  bay  by  a  sudden  shift  of  the  wind,  while  it  completely 
shrouded  all  objects  upon  the  land.^  Within  the 
Narrows,  and  close  upon  the  Staten  Island  shore,  lay  at 
anchor  a  fleet  of  British  transports  and  men  of  war,  num- 
bering more  than  four  hundred  vessels,  of  all  classes.  It 
was  apparent  that  some  movement  was  in  contemplation. 
Boats  were  passing  to  and  from  the  admiral's  ship ;  and 
the  three  officers  could  not  doubt  that  on  the  change  of 
the  tide,  which  was  now  ebbing,  if  the  wind  held  in  that 
quarter  to  which  it  had  just  shifted,  and  the  fog  continued 
to  clear,  all  this  immense  fleet  would  sweep  resistlessly  up 

^  Mr.  Bancroft  suspends  not  a  little  of  the  weight  of  his  argument  against 
the  credibility  of  Gen.  Reed's  account  of  the  circumstances  which  deter- 
mined the  retreat,  upon  the  improbability  of  the  fog  lifting  so  fortunately 
for  his  discovery  of  the  British  fleet  getting  under  weigh.  He  apparently 
gives  but  little  credit  to  Stedman,  an  oflicer  serving  umier  Sir  Wm.  Howe, 
whose  voluminous  history  of  the  war  is  valuable,  not  only  as  bearing 
marks  of  fidelity  to  truth,  but  as  being  the  testimony  of  an  intelligent 
eye-witness.  "  On  the  evening  of  the  twenty-seventh  our  army  encamped 
in  front  of  the  enemy's  lines,  and  on  the  twenty-eighth  broke  ground  about 
six  hundred  yards  from  one  of  the  redoubts  on  the  (rebels')  left.  The 
Americans,  finding  that  it  was  impossible  to  maintain  their  post  on  Long 
Island,  evacuated  their  lines  on  the  twenty-ninth,  and  made  good  their  re- 
treat to  New  York.  At  first  the  wind  and  tide  were  both  unfavorable  to  the 
Americans  ;  nor  was  it  thought  possible  that  they  could  have  effected  their 
retreat  on  the  evening  of  the  twenty-ninth,  until  about  eleven  o'clock  the  wind 
shifting,  and  the  sea  becoming  more  calm,  the  boats  were  enabled  to  pass. 

"  Another  remarkable  circumstance  was,  that  on  Long  Island  hung  a  thick 
fog  which  prevented  the  British  troops  from  discovering  the  operations  of 
the  enemy,  while  on  the  side  of  New  York  the  atmosphere  was  perfectly 
clear.  The  retreat  was  effected  in  thirteen  hours,  though  nine  thousand 
men  had  to  pass  over  the  river,  besides  field  artillery,  ammunition,  provi- 
sions, cattle,  horses  and  carts. 

"  The  circumstances  of  this  retreat  were  particularly  glorious  to  the  Ameri- 
cans." — American  War,  vol.  i,  p.  197. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


251 


the  East  River  and  complete  tlie  circle  of  the  investment 
of  the  American  army.  Twenty-seven  thousand  armed 
men  on  the  land,  aided  by  more  than  four  hundred  heavy 
guns,  manned  by  six  thousand  sailors,  would  form  an  im- 
penetrable wall  of  environment  about  the  few  thousand 
soldiers  of  the  republic,  who  were  now  sinking  with 
exhaustion  and  despair.  How  soon  the  feeble  batteries 
of  Red  Hook,  Fort  Stirling  on  the  Heights,  and  the  Grand 
Battery  on  the  lower  end  of  New  York  Island,  would  be 
silenced,  the  half  ruined  breast-works  and  dismantled  guns 
of  the  redoubt  in  which  they  stood  plainly  showed. 

Col  Reed  saw  that  there  could  be  no  hesitation,  in  view 
of  the  impending  danger,  as  to  what  should  be  done ;  and, 
alarmed  at  its  imminence,  the  three  officers  determined 
to  return  at  once  to  Washington's  head-quarters,  and  urge 
the  instant  withdrawal  of  the  American  army  from  Long 
Island,  as  its  only  way  of  escape  from  utter  destruction. 
Tte  occupation  and  defense  of  the  city  of  New  York 
having  been  decided  upon,  Washington  had  clung  with 
great  tenacity  to  the  possession  of  Brooklyn,  as  the  only 
means  by  which  it  could  be  effected ;  so  that  they  felt  much 
hesitation  in  pressing  a  proposition  distasteful  to  him. 
There  were  many  reasons  which  had  forced  this  decision 
upon  his  judgment.  The  composition  of  his  forces,  un- 
fitted by  their  want  of  discipline  for  battle  in  the  open  field ; 
the  imposing  line  of  entrenchments  and  redoubts,  which 
they  then  occupied;  the  possession  of  a  rich  city,  with 
all  its  conveniences  for  camp  and  hospital,  containing,  as 
it  did,  almost  the  entire  munitions  of  war  of  the  nation  — 
all  combined  to  make  the  General  averse  to  any  proposi- 
tion for  the  abandonment  of  Brooklyn. 


252  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Washington  believed  that  battle  was  inevitable,  at  some 
period ;  that  war  could  seldom  be  conducted  without  risk- 
ing everything  on  a  great  one  ;  and  that,  if  his  troops  did 
not  fight  behind  their  entrenchments,  they  could  never  be 
induced  to  stand  the  approach  of  the  enemy  elsewhere. 
For  these  reasons  he  had  determined  to  try  the  fortune  of 
war  once  more  on  the  soil  of  Long  Island.  The  intimate 
personal  and  official  relations  then  existing  between  Gen. 
Washington  and  Col.  Reed  enabling  the  latter  to  approach 
the  Commander-in-chief  with  the  least  embarrassment,  it 
was  decided  that  he  should  assume  the  delicate  office  of 
endeavoring  to  change  his  decision.  On  his  return  to 
head-quarters,  the  adjutant-general  received  the  urgent 
message  from  Col.  Shee,  which  had  been  borne  by  Capt. 
Gray  don. 

Col.  Eeed  at  once  repaired  to  the  camp  of  Col.  Shee,  on 
the  Wallabout,  and  there  learned  what  strengthened  his 
conviction,  and  armed  his  resolution  with  new  arguments. 
The  condition  of  affairs  at  this  post  was  even  more  dis- 
heartening than  when  the  Pennsylvania  officers  had  first 
decided  upon  the  hopelessness  of  their  situation.  It  had 
become  more  and  more  evident,  at  each  succeeding  hour, 
that  the  militia  could  no  longer  be  relied  upon,  even  to 
hold  their  position  behind  the  entrenchments,  so  great  was 
the  despondency  produced  by  the  disasters  of  the  twenty- 
seventh,  and  by  the  exposure  and  fatigue  of  the  subsequent 
days.  It  is  peculiar  to  this  class  of  troops,  that  the  strain 
upon  the  nerves  caused  by  a  constantly  dreaded  attack, 
ever  threatening,  yet  ever  delayed,  is  even  more  demoral- 
izing than  actual  battle.  It  was  now  clear,  that  in  their 
distressed  condition,  and  their  state  of  despondency,  a 


DsTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


253 


vigorous  assault  would  throw  them  into  the  most  frightful 
consternation  and  disorder,  from  which  no  exertions  could 
then  restore  them.  These  gloomy  facts  weighed  with  equal 
force  upon  the  mind  of  Col.  Shee  and  of  Col.  Reed,  when, 
after  a  brief  consultation,  they  parted.  But  of  their  deci- 
sion both  officers  and  troops  were  kept  in  profound  igno- 
rance. It  is  a  curious  and  sad  coincidence  of  fortune, 
that  both  these  officers,  to  whose  circumspection  and 
promptness  the  safe  retreat  of  the  American  army  was  in 
great  measure  owing,  should,  in  a  short  time,  have  given 
reason  for  a  suspicion  of  their  waning  patriotism. 

Col.  Reed  was  said  to  have  violated  the  confidence  of 
his  General,  a  few  months  later,  in  writing  disparagingly 
of  him  to  the  enemies  whom  faction  had  raised  up  against 
him  in  the  American  army ;  and  to  have  uttered  language 
to  Gen.  Cadwallader,  which,  if  not  treason,  appeared  to  his 
auditors  to  be  the  precursor  of  it.  He  was  charged  with 
taking  the  first  step  towards  an  accommodation  with  the 
enemy,  of  which  nothing,  it  was  said,  but  the  victory  at 
Trenton,  and  the  consequent  brightening  of  the  American 
prospects,  prevented  the  accomplishment. 

The  other  party  to  this  important  conference.  Col.  Shee, 
was  an  excellent  officer,  whose  effi^rts  for  the  health  and 
comfort  of  his  men  were  not  the  less  constant  and  untiring 
because  he  was  rigid  in  his  discipline.  He  was  remarkable 
for  his  attention  to  the  official  duties  of  his  command,  at  a 
time  when  others  showed  a  shameful  laxity  and  indifference 
to  them.  The  soldierly  appearance  and  efficiency  of  his 
regiment  were  promoted  by  severe  drilling,  while  his  agree- 
able manners  and  gentleness  of  disposition  prevented  the 
loss  of  the  esteem  and  affection  of  his  soldiers.  But  all  these 


254  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

admirable  qualities  availed  him  little,  when  his  fortitude 
yielded  to  the  impression  of  anticipations  which  saw  all 
the  weakness,  and  nothing  of  the  future  glory,  of  the  cause 
he  abandoned.  The  alarm  which  he  felt  at  the  startling 
dangers  of  his  situation  never  afterwards  left  him;  for 
he  soon  after  obtained  a  furlough,  and  never  returned  to 
his  command.  This  abandonment  of  the  cause  of  liberty, 
in  its  hour  of  greatest  need,  did  not,  however,  disqualify 
him  for  the  intimate  friendship  of  Col.  Reed,  throughout 
the  long  years  of  the  uncertain  struggle  which  ensued. 

Among  the  numerous  narratives  of  occurrences  during 
the  battle  and  the  siege,  whose  authenticity  can  only  be 
adjudged  from  internal  evidence,  is  that  of  a  nameless 
soldier,  who  describes  an  incident  not  undeserving  of  our 
attention.^ 

The  Connecticut  regiment,  whose  courage  had  been 
so  shaken  on  the  afternoon  of  the  twenty-seventh,  in 
marching  to  Gowanus  creek,  were  now  encamped  upon 
the  sloping  ground  between  it  and  the  present  course  of 
Court  street.  The  active  foraging  within  the  lines  had 
thoroughly  stripped  that  territory  of  food ;  and,  under  the 
pressure  of  hunger,  a  number  of  the  soldiers  had  the 
temerity  to  cross  the  creek,  in  search  of  supplies.  Beyond 
the  salt  meadow  which  bordered  it,  a  corn-field  invited 
their  attention,  with  visions  of  roasting  ears  tempting 
them  to  brave  the  dangers  of  crossing  the  open  space 
between.  Half  way  from  the  creek  to  the  corn-field,  rose 
a  number  of  hay-cocks,  which,  it  was  hoped,  would  aftbrd 
a  slight  screen  from  the  enemy's  view ;  but,  when  gliding 


^Adventures  of  a  Bevolutiona/ry  HaUowell,  1830. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  255 

about  behind  them,  they  were  fired  upon  by  a  number  of 
British  troops,  nearly  equal  to  their  own,  who  had  been  con- 
cealed in  the  corn-field.    Eemoved  beyond  the  depressing 
influence  of  their  timid  officers,  the  native  courage  of  the 
men  was  brought  into  action ;  and  rushing  forward  to  the 
fence  which  skirted  the  field,  or  sheltered  behind  the 
hay-cocks,  they  received  the  enemy  with  a  sharp  fire, 
holding  him  at  bay  until  reinforced  by  forty  or  fifty  of 
their  comrades,  who  voluntarily  crossed  the  creek  to  their 
aid.    Their  augmented  numbers  soon  enabled  them  to 
drive  their  opponents  from  the  fence  and  corn-field ;  but 
these,  being  soon  reinforced  in  turn,  drove  back  the  Ameri- 
cans, who  retired  until  joined  by  others,  when  they  again 
pushed  the  British  beyond  the  contested  ground.  Every 
moment  increased  the  number  of  combatants,  for  the 
camp  of  the  Connecticut  regiment  was  almost  deserted, 
and  the  creek  and  meadow,  which  were  yesterday  thronged 
with  a  defeated  army,  were  now  alive  with  the  crowd  of 
soldiers  as  eagerly  crossing  in  the  opposite  direction,  to 
fight  instead  of  flying.     Even  the  officers  plucked  up 
courage,  and  found  sufficient  resolution  to  enter  spiritedly 
into  the  action,  assuming  command  of  their  troops,  and 
forming  them  in  order  for  receiving  the  enemy's  attack. 
The  skirmish,  begun  by  straggling  soldiers,  now  assumed 
something  of  the  proportions  of  a  battle.  Backward 
and  forward,  over  the  ground  now  crossed  by  Second  and 
Third  avenues,  flowed  the  tide  of  strife,  until  the  increas- 
ing numbers  of  the  Americans  enabled  them  to  completely 
rout  the  enemy,  and  drive  him  from  the  corn-field.  Fear- 
ing, however,  that  the  pursuit  might  lead  them  into  a 
position  from  which  the  overpowering  forces  encamped  in 


256  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

the  vicinity  might  cut  off  their  retreat,  they  contented 
themselves  with  the  possession  of  the  contested  field. 

And  now  succeeded  one  of  the  strangest  incidents  in 
the  history  of  panics.  The  troops,  whose  courage  had  been 
so  feeble  the  day  before,  passed  beyond  the  bounds  of 
courage  to  the  wildest  temerity.  The  faint-hearted  and 
panic-stricken  soldiers  of  yesterday,  who,  under  the  dis- 
heartening impressions  of  a  first  battle-field,  resigned  them- 
selves to  the  cowardly  fears  which  oppressed  them,  were 
to-day  fired  with  all  the  ardor  of  heroes,  and  voluntarily 
rushed  forward  into  dangers  ten-fold  greater  than  those 
from  which  they  so  lately  had  shrunk  appalled. 

Several  of  their  number  had  fallen,  though,  owing  to 
the  protection  of  the  stone  walls  and  hay-cocks,  none  were 
killed ;  but  some  of  the  wounded  were  believed  to  be  mor- 
tally hurt.  "What  was  the  loss  of  the  British,  in  the  waver- 
ing fight  was  not  ascertained.  The  regiment  was  unsup- 
ported in  its  mad  enterprise,  as  no  other  troops  guarded 
the  neck,  except  the  small  garrison  at  Red  Hook  redoubt. 
Yet  the  officers  and  men  seem  to  have  adopted  the  desperate 
resolution  of  entrenching,  and  remaining  on  the  ground. 
It  is  incredible  that  this  insane  enterprise  could  have  been 
known  to  the  commanding  General ;  but,  if  it  were,  he 
abandoned  the  regiment  to  its  fate,  as  reinforcements  from 
his  lines,  if  possible,  would  have  hazarded  too  much  for  a 
prudent  commander  to  send  them,  even  with  a  great 
military  object  in  view.  It  illustrates  the  confused  state 
of  affairs  at  this  period,  and  the  wretched  discipline  of 
the  army,  that  such  a  dangerous  and  aimless  movement 
could  have  been  made,  unauthorized  by  his  orders,  and 
probably  without  ever  coming  to  his  knowledge. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  257 

The  regiment  was  now  occupying  the  rising  ground  on 
the  borders  of  the  salt  meadows,  the  position  being  covered 
with  young  forest  trees,  which  the  men  quickly  felled  and 
constructed  into  a  log  breast- work  that  would  protect  them 
from  a  cavalry  charge.  It  is  probable  that  the  temerity 
implied  in  a  single  regiment's  occupying  a  position  so  ex- 
posed, thrust  forward  a  mile  or  more  beyond  the  lines, 
with  a  deep  and  dangerous  creek  in  its  rear,  appeared  so 
incredible  to  the  enemy,  that  he  respected  the  movement 
on  account  of  an  importance  and  strength  which  only 
existed  in  his  imagination. 

There  is  nothing  which  produces  such  unexpected 
results  as  folly.  The  operations  of  reason  are  confined 
within  a  narrow  zodiac;  but  the  orbits  of  folly  have  an 
eccentricity  whose  latitude  can  never  be  calculated.  It  is 
probable  that  the  British  officers,  trained  in  a  military 
school  which  taught  them  "  always  to  expect  the  enemy 
to  do  what  they  themselves  would  do  in  the  same  situa- 
tion," could  not  comprehend  that  a  movement  of  such 
hazard  should  have  been  made  by  other  than  a  powerful 
body  of  troops;  and  the  day  waned  before  they  had 
decided  upon  their  plan  of  attack. 

In  the  meanwhile  a  soaking  rain  fell  upon  the  unshel- 
tered regiment,  and  so  damaged  the  ammunition  that  it 
was  mostly  unfit  for  use ;  and  had  the  detachment  been 
attacked  in  this  condition,  even  by  a  much  inferior  force, 
the  whole  of  it  must  have  been  killed  or  captured.  The 
account  we  have  of  the  affair,  from  one  of  the  combatants, 
is  so  vague  in  its  description  of  the  localities  of  different 
events,  as  to  leave  it  impossible  for  us  to  decide  on  which 

side  of  the  creek  the  regiment  was  encamped  at  evening 
33 


258  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

on  the  twenty-ninth,  when  it  was  paraded,  and  ordered  to 
exercise  in  platoon-firing.  This  whimsical  and  dangerous 
manoeuvre,  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy,  which  under 
other  circumstances  might  have  caused  a  general  alarm 
and  movement  of  the  American  forces,  was  productive 
of  one  good  result,  in  exhibiting  the  fact  that,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  rain,  the  ammunition  was  nearly  ruined, 
and  the  guns  so  fouled  as  to  be  useless  until  cleaned. 

This  military  exercise,  continued  until  dusk,  was  not 
participated  in  by  all  the  regiment ;  for  long  before  that 
hour,  numbers  of  the  soldiers,  to  escape  exposure  to  the 
showers,  had  straggled  away  to  such  shelter  as  the  country 
afforded,  and,  unfortunately  for  themselves,  had  been  suc- 
cessful in  their  search.  The  narrator  of  these  incidents 
himself  visited  a  barn,  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  from 
the  camp,  to  procure  some  straw  to  protect  him  while 
lying  on  the  wet  ground ;  and  was  hailed  from  the  top  of 
the  hay-mow,  which  nearly  filUed  the  building,  by  some  of 
his  comrades.  After  ascertaining  his  name,  they  exhi- 
bited an  indolent  curiosity  regarding  the  engagement  of 
their  own  regiment  with  the  enemy,  which  the  platoon 
firing  had  led  them  to  believe  must  have  taken  place. 
From  the  dangers  of  this  supposed  battle,  they  had  care- 
fully sheltered  themselves,  with  a  prudence  which  their 
previous  daring  would  scarcely  have  led  us  to  anticipate. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


259 


CHAPTER  YH. 
The  Retreat. 

Niglit  came  at  last,  to  close  the  long,  gloomy  twenty- 
ninth  of  August.  With  grim  tenacity,  amid  hunger, 
exposure,  and  defeat,  the  American  army  still  held  the 
lines  of  entrenchment  around  the  village  of  Brooklyn. 
Still  fell  the  rain  in  frequent  showers,  as  on  the  preceding 
day;  and  still  continued  the  skirmishing,  along  the  line  of 
entrenchments,  now  rising  to  the  roar  of  battle,  and  now 
declining  to  the  scattering  fire  of  a  picket  guard.  All 
day  the  heavy  discharges  from  the  battery  in  the  British 
redoubt  were  sustained ;  concerning  the  elffects  of  which 
on  Fort  Putnam,  at  which  they  were  principally  directed, 
our  patriot  countrymen  preserve  their  usual  reticence. 
As  evening  drew  on,  and  the  gloom  of  the  beclouded  day 
deepened  into  the  darkness  of  a  stormy  night,  the  noise 
of  conflict  ceased;  but  another  sound,  less  alarming  to  the 
ear  of  the  novice,  but  more  ominous  of  approaching 
danger  to  experienced  soldiers,  broke  upon  the  stillness. 
It  was  the  heavy  muffled  clang  of  the  enemy's  entrenching 
tools,  breaking  the  earth  across  the  Brooklyn  farms  at  a 
little  distance  in  front  of  the  entrenchments,  and  heaping 
it  into  a  wall  of  circumvallation  around  the  land  side  of 
the  devoted  town.  It  was  remarked  that  the  sounds  of 
the  besiegers'  labor  on  their  parallels,  seemed  much  nearer 
than  on  the  previous  night.    Ko  better  evidence  was 


260  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

needed  of  the  confidence  felt  by  the  enemy  in  the  hope- 
lessness of  the  situation  of  their  destined  victims.  Instead 
of  assaulting  their  lines,  to  anticipate  their  possible  escape, 
the  British  were  only  solicitous  to  hem  them  in  with  an 
impenetrable  wall. 

Thus  ended  the  third  day  of  the  siege  of  Brooklyn.  It 
was  now  evident  that  a  few  hours  would  decide  the  con- 
flict. And,  while  the  forces  on  either  side  pause  inactive, 
let  us  glance  at  some  of  the  obscurer  causes  which  affected 
the  minds  of  their  commanders,  and  influenced  their  re- 
spective determinations. 

Not  the  least  among  the  sources  of  the  demoralizing 
influences  afiecting  the  American  troops,  was  the  method 
by  which  their  officers  received  their  appointment.  The 
various  Committees  of  Safety,  who  recommended  the 
officers  for  promotion,  based  their  recommendations  upon 
information  obtained  by  an  occasional  visit  to  the  camp, 
whose  gossip  and  scandal  were  then  as  potent  in  making 
heroes  or  destroying  hard-earned  reputations,  as  are  the 
newspaper  reports  of  our  day.^  The  popular  origin  of  these 
revolutionary  tribunals,  compelled  their  members  to  listen 
with  open  ears  to  the  whimpering  tales  of  cowardly  strag- 
glers, l^ot  unfrequently  the  ex  parte  statements  of  skulkers 
from  the  duty  of  the  camp,  and  the  dangers  of  the  battle- 
field, were  the  only  trial  which  a  brave  and  meritorious 
officer  was  permitted,  before  the  infliction  of  a  stinging  re- 
buke from  his  State  Committee,  or  the  severer  punishment 
of  witnessing  the  promotion  of  some  unworthy  favorite  over 
his  head.    An  instance,  not  without  interest  to  us,  both 


^  See  Reed,  note,  p.  241 ;  also  Graj/don's  Memoirs. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


261 


on  account  of  its  fine  illustration  of  the  manners  of  the 
time,  and  of  its  relation  to  the  occurrences  on  the  battle- 
field, is  narrated  by  Capt.  Graydon. 

A  dancing  master  of  Philadelphia,  named  Menzies,  had 
by  virtue  of  his  skill  promoted  himself  in  the  social  rank 
to  fencing  master;  and  the  Committee  of  Safety,  conceiving 
that  his  management  of  the  sword  eminently  fitted  him 
for  the  office,  had  made  him  adjutant  of  one  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania regiments.     Engaged  in  the  combat  on  the 
Flatbush  hills,  with  what  credit  to  himself  or  service 
to  the  republic  we  are  not  informed,  when  the  fatal  lines 
of  Hessian  infantry  and  British  grenadiers  had  fully 
enclosed  his  broken  and  retreating  regiment,  this  officer 
found  all  the  avenues  for  escape  completely  barred.  The 
dreadful  massacre  of  his  comrades  had  begun,  and  on 
every  side  he  saw  only  an  infuriated  and  merciless  foe. 
By  extraordinary  good  fortune  and  adroitness,  he  was 
enabled  to  secrete  himself  in  a  thicket  of  the  forest,  until 
darkness  prevented  the  betrayal  of  his  nationality  by  his 
uniform.    On  crawling  from  his  concealment,  he  was 
enabled  to  answer  the  challenges  of  the  Hessian  sentinels, 
and  the  queries  of  their  comrades  —  thanks  to  his  Penn- 
sylvania Dutch  parentage  —  in  German.    Thus  allaying 
their  suspicions,  by  excellent  address,  and  equal  fortune, 
he  was  enabled  to  elude  the  sentries,  and  to  rejoin  his  sur- 
viving comrades  within  the  Brooklyn  entrenchments. 
His  skill  in  the  management  of  his  feet  had  perhaps  con- 
tributed to  make  him  a  fencer,  and  his  adroitness  with 
his  hands  had  given  him  the  rank  of  lieutenant;  and  now 
this  fortunate  use  of  his  tongue  was  considered  a  warrant 
for  his  promotion  over  all  the  line  officers  to  the  rank  of 


2Q2  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

major.  Thus  rewarded  for  his  good  fortune  in  being 
neither  killed  or  captured,  he  served  with  credit,  and 
proved  a  worthy  officer;  but  his  good  conduct  did  not 
exculpate  the  Committee  from  gross  injustice  to  the  meri- 
torious officers  whom  their  favoritism  had  deprived  of 
due  promotion.  And  to  the  unfitness  of  many  of  the 
subordinate  officers  must  be  attributed  the  inefficiency  of 
their  troops. 

The  behavior  of  the  Pennsylvania  regiments,  however, 
throughout  the  week  of  skirmishes  and  the  day  of  defeat, 
was  in  striking  contrast  to  the  insubordination,  and  even 
poltroonery,  of  some  of  the  l^ew  England  troops,  and  to 
the  unreliable  character  of  the  Long  Island  militia. 
The  roll  of  officers,  whose  services  at  this  time  deserved 
honorable  mention,  included  many  names  of  Pennsylva- 
nians.  The  brave  Col.  Hand,  who  commanded  the  rifle- 
men that  were  engaged  in  four  severe  skirmishes  at 
Flatbush;  the  equally  brave  though  less  fortunate  Col. 
Atlee,  commanding  Stirling's  advanced  guard  at  Gowanus, 
where  he  was  taken  prisoner;  Cols.  Shee  and  Magaw, 
and  Lieut.  Col.  Cadwallader  —  these  are  only  a  few  of  the 
names  of  Pennsylvanians  who  deserve  the  grateful  remem- 
brance of  their  countrymen. 

ITothing,  however,  relating  to  the  afikirs  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, afiects  us  with  such  astonishment,  as  does  the  conjunc- 
ture of  three  events,  that  seem  inexplicable  :  — the  neglect 
of  Lord  Howe  to  use  the  great  armada  he  commanded 
in  aiding  his  brother's  movements  on  land ;  the  omission 
of  Gen.  Howe  to  secure  the  results  of  his  great  victory, 
by  carrying  the  American  entrenchments  in  an  immediate 
assault;  and,  lastly,  after  the  delay  of  "Washington  to 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


263 


extricate  his  forces  from  their  dangerous  position  imme- 
diately upon  the  defeat,  his  sudden  and  complete  reversal 
of  his  decision  to  fight  a  battle  behind  his  entrenchments. 
Our  surprise  at  the  delay  of  Lord  Howe  is  lessened  when 
we  learn  that,  for  much  of  the  time,  the  wind  and  tide  were 
insurmountable  obstacles  to  his  advance ;  but  other  causes 
weighed  heavier  than  all  the  anchors  in  his  fleet  in  de- 
taining his  ships  from  the  passage  between  the  batteries 
on  Brooklyn  Heights,  and  the  heavy  guns  lining  the  ^qw 
York  shore. 

On  the  twenty-eighth  of  June,  just  two  months  before, 
another  British  admiral  had  led  ten  vessels  of  war,  carry- 
ing two  hundred  and  sixty  guns,  in  the  endeavor  to  force 
a  passage  past  a  wretched  redoubt  on  Sullivan's  Island, 
in  Charleston  harbor.  The  loss  of  two  hundred  men, 
and  the  bare  escape  of  his  half-foundering  ships  from 
entire  destruction,  had  seemed  to  Sir  Peter  Parker  but 
slightly  compensated  for  by  the  trifling  damage  inflicted 
on  the  Palmetto  fort,  and  by  the  killing  and  wounding  of 
thirty-two  rebels. 

A  month  before,  five  vessels,  of  the  fleet  now  under 
Lord  Howe's  command,  had  sailed  up  the  I^orth  River, 
past  the  distant  batteries  on  Paulus'  Hook,  and  at  the  foot 
of  Hubert  street.  Favored  as  they  were,  by  a  brisk  gale 
and  a  strong  flood-tide,  they  had  nevertheless  not  sped  so 
fast  as  to  prevent  their  being  hulled  several  times  in  their 
passage.  These  events  afiforded  no  favorable  presage  for 
Lord  Howe's  fleet,  in  attempting  to  force  its  way  into  the 
East  River. 

The  influences  which  affected  the  mind  of  Gen.  Howe, 
through  the  recollections  of  Ticonderoga  and  Bunker  Hill, 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

have  already  been  referred  to.  But  those  which  deter- 
mined the  judgment  of  Washington  may  claim  a  mo- 
ment's attention. 

He  had  witnessed,  from  the  redoubt  on  the  summit  of 
Ponkiesberg,  the  total  rout  of  Stirling's  division,  and  the 
slaughter  of  the  Maryland  battalion.  To  protect  the 
disarmed  and  exhausted  fugitives  from  utter  annihilation, 
and  secure  the  withdrawal  of  his  artillery,  it  was  necessary 
that  fresh  troops  should  be  immediately  brought  to  their 
relief.  For  the  purpose  of  expediting  the  march  of  these 
reinforcements,  he  had  crossed  the  river  to  ]S"ew  York, 
and  ordered  every  regiment  which  could  be  spared  from 
its  defenses  to  Long  Island.  The  urgent  necessity  for 
the  presence  of  these  troops  in  the  Brooklyn  lines  was 
too  apparent  to  allow  hesitation,  as  nothing  was  more 
probable  than  an  immediate  assault  upon  the  works. 
Indeed,  so  imminent  was  it  believed  to  be,  that  "Wash- 
ington's personal  attention  was  given  to  bringing  for- 
ward the  troops  to  resist  it.  He  had  paused  long  enough 
to  assure  himself  that  the  attack  on  the  exterior  lines  had 
been  made  by  the  entire  British  army,  whose  long  co- 
lumns, deploying  into  line  of  battle,  could  be  seen  by  him 
from  within  his  own  lines.  The  presence  of  the  British 
Commander-in-chief,  and  his  Generals,  indicated  that  every 
corps  of  the  seventeen  thousand  men  composing  the  in- 
vading force,  was  at  length  in  the  American  front;  and 
this  was  not  only  confirmed  by  the  report  of  spies  and 
fugitives,  but  was  plainly  revealed  by  the  uniforms  which 
distinguished  them.  The  long  lines  of  bright  scarlet 
which  stretched  up  the  hills  through  the  woods,  now 
appearing  in  rank  across  the  cleared  fields,  and  now 


K 
PQ 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  265 

hidden  by  the  dense  foliage,  marked  the  presence  of 
Percy,  and  Cornwallis,  with  the  grenadiers  and  infantry. 
Further  to  the  south,  on  the  hills  above  the  Porte  Road , 
heavy  masses  of  men,  in  blue  uniforms,  faced  with  red, 
made  it  equally  certain  that  De  Heister  and  his  eight 
thousand  Hessians  were  overlooking  the  feeble  lines. 
Two  miles  to  the  right,  at  Gowanus,  the  force  under 
Gen.  Grant,  which  through  the  fatal  night  of  the  twenty- 
sixth  had  made  such  threatening  demonstrations,  and 
against  whose  delusive  attacks  Lord  Stirling  had  all  the 
morning  breasted  his  feeble  corps,  menacingly  rested  on 
its  arms.  Close  on  the  American  left  hung  the  strong 
reserve  of  Eobertson,  momentarily  threatening  assault. 

Thus  Washington  was  certified  of  the  presence  of  four 
heavy  columns  of  the  enemy,  which  had  girt  his  army 
around  as  with  a  wall  of  steel.  On  front  and  flanks  they 
thronged,  with  all  the  dread  enginery  of  war ;  the  hills, 
which  overlooked  and  governed  his  position,  were  crowned 
with  their  batteries ;  and  the  woods  and  fields  in  his  front 
swarmed  with  the  squadrons  which  had  overwhelmed  one- 
half  his  force,  and  now  held  the  ground  on  which  two  thou- 
sand of  his  soldiers  were  perishing  with  their  wounds,  or 
already  silent  in  death.^  But  even  from  these  sad  events, 
and  these  ominous  tokens  of  the  future,  the  mind  of 
Washington  derived  a  knowledge  which  lightened  the 
gloom  that  to  every  other  mind  seemed  impenetrable. 

more  indubitable  evidence  of  the  greatness  and  calm- 
ness of  his  intellect  is  needed,  than  the  confident  decision 
it  formed  on  the  instant  of  overwhelming  disaster.  Even 


*  ElUng. 


34 


2QQ  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

while  snatching  from  total  destruction  the  remnants  of 
the  awful  wreck  around  him,  his  mind  had  seized  this 
great  fact,  which,  amid  the  darkness  of  defeat,  stood 
plainly  revealed  to  him : —  the  entire  forces  of  the  enemy  were 
in  his  front.  The  obscurity  which  had  so  long  veiled  the 
purposes  of  the  foe  had  at  last  cleared  away;  and  the 
blow  which  for  a  month  had  hung  impending  over  him, 
had  fallen,  but  not  on  the  vital  part  it  had  threatened. 
And  now,  his  next  step  would  be  on  firmer  ground. 

Hitherto,  it  had  remained  uncertain,  which  of  two 
movements  that  seemed  equally  to  invite  the  enemy  to 
their  adoption,  would  be  chosen.  Either  promised  bril- 
liant success  to  the  British,  whenever  the  combined  fleet 
a,nd  army  should  use  with  vigor  their  formidable  advan- 
tages of  men  and  ordnance  ;  while  it  was  the  misfortune  of 
"Washington  that  he  must  manoeuvre  his  forces  as  if  cer- 
tain of  the  performance  of  both  designs. 

With  all  these  facts  before  us,  it  is  more  than  strange 
that  it  should  have  been  left  to  the  accidents  of  chance, 
and  the  influence  of  Col.  Reed,  to  determine  the  mind  of 
Washington,  and  induce  him  to  yield  the  original  designs 
of  his  judgment.  It  has  not  escaped  the  sharp  criticism 
of  historians ;  and  Mr.  Bancroft  throws  much  doubt  upon 
the  whole  statement,  as  indicating  a  feebleness  of  decision 
in  the  Commander-in-chief,  whieh  his  whole  life  belies. 
It  is  not  necessary,  however,  for  the  refutation  of  the  as- 
sumption of  Col.  Reed's  personal  influence,  to  invalidate 
the  truth  of  the  occurrence  of  the  incidents  narrated  by  his 
biographer.  We  cannot  restrain  our  incredulous  wonder 
that  the  apprehension  of  a  danger  so  imminent  should 
have  come  so  late  to  the  mind  of  Washington,  and 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  267 

that  a  decision  of  such  incalculable  magnitude  in  its 
consequences,  should  have  been  left  to  the  concurrence 
of  such  accidental  and  trivial  incidents  for  its  formation. 
The  chance  visit  of  the  adjutant-general  and  his  friends  to 
the  battel  J  on  Red  Hook;  the  fortuitous  lifting  of  the  fog 
for  a  single  moment,  which  permitted  them  a  glimpse  of 
the  fleet  preparing  to  weigh  anchor ;  the  timidity  or  cir- 
cumspection of  Col.  Shee ;  and  the  energy,  scarcely  less 
than  presumptuous,  which  urged  the  unwelcome  view  of 
the  danger  of  his  position  upon  the  attention  of  Washing- 
ton,—  were  things  so  slight,  that  we  hesitate  to  believe 
that  they  could  have  reversed  the  deliberate  verdict  af  his 
judgment.  Whatever  had  been  his  previous  intentions, 
however,  the  action  of  the  Commander-in-chief  was  now 
as  prompt  as  his  decision  had  seemed  tardy. 

A  council  of  war  was  at  once  convened  at  head-quarters, 
in  the  Pierrepont  mansion,  standing  on  the  ground  now 
occupied  by  Montague  street,  near  the  foot-bridge.  It 
was  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  twenty-ninth  of  August, 
when  this  memorable  council  met.  It  consisted  of  Maj. 
Gen.  Putnam,  Maj.  Gen.  Spencer,  and  Brig.  Gens.  Mifflin, 
McDougal,  Parsons,  Scott,  Wadsworth,  and  Fellows. 
Alas !  there  was  one,  the  bravest,  truest  soldier,  whose 
seat  at  that  council  was  unfilled,  and  whose  place  on 
earth  would  soon  be  vacant  forever.  The  noble,  gene- 
rous Woodhull  was  at  this  very  hour  dying  of  his  wounds 
at  Jamaica.  There  were  other  vacancies  at  that  council- 
board,  which  could  not  fail  to  call  up  the  saddest  memo- 
ries. The  heroic  Stirling,  whose  self-devotion  had  nearly 
gained  for  him  the  palm  of  martyrdom,  lay  a  prisoner  on 
board  of  the  enemy's  fleet ;  and  the  brave,  impetuous 


268  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Sullivan  was  fretting  his  fevered  energy  away,  under  the 
guard  of  British  bayonets.  Gen.  Washington  at  once 
presented  the  threatening  aspect  of  affairs,  and  solicited 
the  opinions  of  the  members  of  the  council.  There  was 
no  want  of  unanimity  there.  The  presence  of  the  awful 
peril  which  surrounded  them,  the  necessity  for  instant 
decision,  and  the  fearful  consequences  of  the  isolation 
of  this  wing  of  the  American  army,  stilled  all  the  sugges- 
tions of  personal  vanity  or  of  selfish  ambition ;  and  the 
decision  to  abandon  the  Brooklyn  lines,  and  retreat  across 
the  River,  was  at  once  taken.  The  council  have  left  on 
record  a  full  statement  of  the  reasons  for  that  determina- 
tion, from  a  perusal  of  which  we  can  learn  much  of  that 
traverse  of  thought  by  which  it  was  reached. 

"  Aug,  29ih,  1776.  It  was  submitted  to  the  consideration 
of  the  council  whether,  under  all  the  circumstances,  it 
would  not  be  eligible  to  leave  Long  Island  and  its  depend- 
encies, and  remove  to  New  York.  Unanimously  agreed  in 
the  affirmative,  for  the  following  reasons  : 

Mrst.  Because  our  advanced  party  have  met  with  a 
defeat,  and  the  wood  was  lost  where  we  expected  to  make 
a  principal  stand. 

Second.  The  great  loss  sustained  in  the  death  and  cap- 
tivity of  several  valuable  officers  and  their  battalions,  or 
a  large  portion  of  them,  had  occasioned  great  confusion 
and  discouragement  among  the  troops. 

Third.  The  heavy  rain,  which  fell  two  days  and  nights 
without  intermission,  had  injured  the  arms,  and  spoiled  a 
great  part  of  the  ammunition ;  and  the  soldiers,  being  with- 
out arms,  and  obliged  to  lay  in  the  lines,  were  worn  out,  and 
it  was  to  be  feared  would  not  remain  in  them  by  any  order. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  269 

Fourth.  From  the  time  the  enemy  moved  from  Flat- 
bush,  several  large  ships  had  endeavored  to  get  up,  as 
supposed,  into  the  East  River,  to  cut  off  our  communica- 
tion (by  which  the  whole  army  would  have  been  de- 
stroyed) but,  the  wind  being  north-east,  could  not  effect  it. 

Fifth.  Upon  consulting  with  persons  of  knowledge  of 
the  harbor,  they  were  of  the  opinion  that  small  ships 
might  come  between  Long  Island  and  Governor's  Island, 
where  there  were  no  obstructions,  and  which  would  cut 
off  the  communication  effectually;  and  they  also  were 
of  the  opinion  that  the  hulks  sunk  between  Governor's 
Island  and  the  city  of  E"ew  York,  were  of  no  sufficient 
security  for  obstructing  that  passage. 

Sixth.  Though  our  lines  were  fortified  by  some  strong 
redoubts,  yet  a  great  part  of  them  were  weak,  being  ahatised 
with  brush,  and  affording  no  strong  cover,  so  that  there 
was  reason  to  apprehend  they  might  be  forced ;  which 
would  put  our  troops  in  confusion,  and,  having  no  retreat, 
they  must  have  been  cut  to  pieces  or  made  prisoners. 

Seventh.  The  divided  state  of  the  troops  renders  our 
defense  very  precarious,  and  the  duty  of  defending  long 
and  extensive  lines  in  so  many  different  places,  without 
proper  conveniences  and  cover,  so  v^y  fatiguing,  that 
the  troops  had  become  dispirited  by  their  incessant  duty 
and  watching. 

Eighth.  Because  the  enemy  had  sent  several  ships  of 
war  into  the  Sound,  to  a  place  called  Flushing  bay ;  and, 
from  the  information  received  that  a  part  of  their  troops 
was  moving  across  Long  Island  that  way,  there  was  rea- 
son to  apprehend  they  meant  to  pass  overland,  and  form 
an  encampment  above  King's  Bridge,  in  order  to  cut  off 


270  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

and  prevent  all  communication  between  our  army  and  the 
country  beyond  them,  or  to  get  in  our  rear." 

The  preparations  for  this  important  movement,  scarcely 
less  fraught  with  danger  than  its  alternative,  were  entered 
upon  with  the  profoundest  caution  and  secrecy.  Every- 
thing which  could  convey  the  slightest  intimation  of  the 
design  to  the  enemy,  was  carefully  avoided ;  and  never, 
perhaps,  for  a  movement  so  important,  were  the  plans 
more  skilfully  devised,  or  was  the  performance  of  them 
more  exact,  where  a  thousand  untoward  events  might 
have  destroyed  them.  It  was  little  that  the  boats  for  trans- 
porting the  army  were  abundant  in  iTew  York.  They 
must  be  gathered  with  expedition  and  secrecy,  and  the 
troops  transferred  to  the  opposite  shore  during  the  short 
night  of  midsummer.  Even  the  management  of  the  boats 
by  skilled  oarsmen  was  important ;  for  that  service  could 
not  be  left  to  the  clumsiness  of  common  soldiers.  For- 
tunately, the  necessities  of  the  occasion  were  not  greater 
than  the  means  at  hand  for  meeting  them.  Col.  Glover's 
Marblehead  regiment  provided  seven  hundred  of  the 
ablest  men  for  this  service,  whose  stout  arms  could  safely 
and  swiftly  pass  the  boats  through  the  dense  fog;  and  they 
were  accordingly  withdrawn  from  the  extreme  left  of  the 
line,  for  that  purpose. 

At  the  same  time  that  all  the  troops  were  warned  to 
prepare  for  an  attack  upon  the  enemy,  orders  were  quietly 
communicated  to  the  alternate  regiments  along  the  front 
to  fall  in  line  ;  and  long  before  those  on  the  right  and  left 
were  aware  of  any  movement,  their  comrades  had  silently 
moved  away  into  the  darkness,  and  the  void  was  only  felt, 
without  being  known.    Often  the  first  intimation  that 


DH'RODUCTORT  NARRATIVE.  271 

adjoining  regiments  received  of  the  departure  of  those  on 
their  right  and  left,  was  the  whispered  order  to  extend 
their  own  lines,  and  cover  the  space  so  mysteriously 
vacated.  Again  and  again  was  this  manoeuvre  performed, 
on  the  constantly  thinning  line ;  and  one  regiment  after 
another  flitted  away  into  the  gloom,  until  nothing  but 
a  long  line  of  sentinels  occupied  the  breast-works,  and 
preserved  the  empty  show  of  a  defense. 

Within  the  little  fort  on  Ponkiesberg,  during  the  battle 
of  the  twenty-seventh,  were  stationed  some  of  the  Queens 
county  militia.  Whether  this  disposition  of  the  forces, 
styled  *  six  months  volunteers,'  was  made  with  the  design 
of  securing  the  guns  of  the  fort,  or  the  troops  themselves, 
we  do  not  learu. 

It  is  especially  noted,  that  a  company  commanded  by 
Capt.  Jacob  Wright,  enlisted  principally  from  Jamaica, 
was  here  stationed ;  and,  although  its  members  may  have 
been  the  more  patriotic  of  the  citizens  of  that  town,  yet 
when  we  remember  what  strong  persuasions  the  provin- 
cial Congress  was  compelled  to  use  in  Queens  county,  it 
is  difficult  to  repel  the  thought  that  apprehension  of  their 
loyalty  may  have  influenced  this  disposition  of  them.  This 
company,  and  another  from  Kings  county,  commanded 
by  Capt  Van  Nuys,  were  attached  to  Col.  Lasher's 
first  Xew  York  regiment,  which  was  engaged  in  the 
battle,  and  lost  several  of  its  officers,  among  whom  was 
Major  Abeel,  who  was  slain.  One  hundred  and  twenty 
grenadiers  formed  a  part  of  Col.  Lasher's  command ;  and 
when  the  plan  of  retreat  had  been  decided  upon,  these 
men  were  disposed  at  regular  intervals  along  the  breast- 
works, each  carrying,  in  addition  to  his  musket,  six  hand- 


272  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

grenades.  The  narrator  of  this  fact  gives  another  state- 
ment, also,  which  indicates  the  minuteness  of  detail  by 
which  "Washington  concealed  his  intentions,  alike  from  the 
enemy,  and  from  his  own  troops.  Two  regiments  would  be 
withdrawn  in  silence  from  the  lines,  and,  after  marching 
for  some  distance  towards  the  ferry,  one  would  diverge  to 
the  right  or  left,  and  return  to  the  entrenchments,  while 
the  other  was  pushed  rapidly  across  the  River. 

So  perfectly  was  the  mystery  of  the  design  preserved, 
by  these  manoeuvres,  that  it  was  the  prevailing  belief  in 
the  army  that  they  portended  a  general  assault  upon  the 
British  lines  on  the  morrow.  There  were  not  wanting,  in 
so  large  a  number  of  participants,  instances  of  incaution, 
that  might  have  betrayed  the  design  to  the  enemy ;  one  of 
which,  from  the  rank  of  the  person,  had  almost  the  turpi- 
tude of  crime.  A  soldier,  who  was  being  relieved  from 
duty  at  the  breast-works,  overheard  an  officer  say,  in  a 
tone  of  voice  that  might  have  been  heard  by  the  enemy 
beyond  them,  "  We  are  going  to  retreat."  But  this  breach 
of  discipline  was  very  slight,  compared  with  what  the 
same  soldier  heard  from  the  incautious  lips  of  Gen.  Put- 
nam. While  the  company  of  this  soldier  was  in  the  act 
of  being  withdrawn  in  silence  from  the  entrenchments, 
Putnam,  in  answer  probably  to  a  question,  said,  in  a  voice 
audible  to  more  than  one,  that  ^  the  army  was  retreating.' 
There  were  within  the  Brooklyn  lines  at  that  time,  hun- 
dreds of  timid  friends  to  American  liberty,  who  would 
gladly  have  purchased  their  peace  with  the  British  go- 
vernment at  the  price  of  this  information.  Many  a  warm 
loyalist  would  have  periled  his  life  in  conveying  the  as- 
tounding news  to  the  British  camp ;  and  then,  woe  to  that 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  273 

drooping  and  flying  army  !  But  the  escape  from  the 
danger  was  another  of  those  slender  threads,  on  which 
hung  the  destiny  of  America.  Strong  enough  for  its  pur- 
pose, nevertheless ;  for  the  Invincible  arm  sustained  it. 

'Not  far  from  Fort  Putnam,  and  connecting  with  the 
Pennsylvania  battalions,  the  worn  survivors  of  Col.  Small- 
wood's  Maryland  and  Col.  Haslett's  Delaware  regiments 
held  a  position  believed  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  danger, 
which  was  now  increased,  also,  by  the  withdrawal  of  Col. 
Glover's  Marblehead  men.  Torn  with  the  shock  of  battle, 
and  enfeebled  by  the  terrible  and  exhausting  exertions  of 
its  struggle,  these  brave  men  still  kept  the  post  of  peril ; 
and  on  their  courage  and  devotion  the  Commander-in- 
chief  depended  for  covering  the  retreat.  Orders  had 
been  communicated,  soon  after  dark,  to  the  battalions  of 
Shee,  Magaw,  Smallwood,  and  Haslett,  to  hold  themselves 
in  readiness  for  an  attack  upon  the  enemy  which  was  to 
be  made  during  the  night.  The  gloom  of  their  appre- 
hensions, which  inaction  had  deepened  almost  into  de- 
spair, was  not  relieved  hy  the  prospect  of  a  night  assault 
upon  an  entrenched  and  wary  enemy.  I^othing  could 
exceed  the  sad  despondency  which  fell  upon  these  brave 
and  loyal  troops,  in  this  gloomy  hour.  Weakened  by 
want  of  sleep  and  food  for  two  days  and  nights,  exposed 
to  the  inclemency  of  the  elements,  and  depressed  by  the 
knowledge  of  the  dangers  which  surrounded  them,  they 
realized  how  feeble  would  be  the  blow  they  could  strike 
against  their  powerful  opponent.  Their  ammunition  was 
impaired  by  dampness,  their  guns  were  fouled  by  rain 
and  rust,  and  few  of  their  number  were  armed  with  bayo- 
nets ;  while,  added  to  these  disqualifications  for  success- 
35 


274  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

ful  assault,  they  keenly  felt  the  feebleness  of  the  support 
to  be  afforded  them  by  the  unmanned  and  panic-stricken 
troops  around.    Awaiting  their  orders  for  the  dread  trial 
of  battle,  the  officers  of  these  battalions  sadly  conversed 
together  upon  the  probable  fate  of  themselves  and  their 
command,  in  this  perilous  enterprise.    We  have  an  au- 
thentic record  of  the  sentiments,  and  currents  of  thought, 
which  prevailed  among  these  brave  men ;  and  the  tone  of 
sad  resolve  indicates  the  magnitude  of  the  peril  of  their 
situation.    Few  of  them  expected  to  behold  the  morning 
light.    "  It  is,"  they  said,  "  a  forlorn  hope,  which  none 
can  expect  to  survive ;  but  it  is  our  duty  to  obey  like  sol- 
diers." ^    And  although  their  souls,  inspired  with  nature's 
dread,  shrank  back  from  the  dark  abyss  into  which 
another  hour  might  plunge  them,  yet  the  knitted  brows, 
and  stern  features,  were  doubtless  witnesses  of  a  great  and 
unflinching  resolution  which  even  the  apparition  of  death 
could  not  shake.    Each  turned  to  the  other,  in  the  hope 
that  his  comrade  would  survive,  with  affectionate  remem- 
brances for  friends  and  relatives.    And  then  there  were 
softer  messages  for  gentle  ones,  and   declarations  of 
bequests,  and  gifts  of  remembrance,  which  occupied  the 
wasting  hours  of  the  earlier  night. 

There  was  one  among  these  young  officers  who  dwelt 
upon  the  extreme  rashness  of  the  contemplated  attack 
with  growing  incredulity.  This  gentleman  was  Capt. 
Graydon,  who  has  left  a  most  interesting  and  a  perfectly 
truthful  account  of  the  events  of  the  Revolution,  in  which 
he  was  an  actor;  and  on  whose  mind,  the  object  of  the 


*  Graydon's  Memoirs. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  275 

manoeuvre  flashed  in  a  sort  of  revelation.  He  saw  that 
the  retreat  of  the  army  from  its  dangerous  position  had 
heen  decided  upon,  and  that  the  order  for  assault  was  a 
cover  for  the  design.  His  surmise  was  quickly  commu- 
nicated to  his  comrades;  by  whom,  although  at  first 
they  were  incredulous,  it  was  received  like  a  reprieve  from 
sentence  to  death. 

Midnight  had  come,  and  a  deep  low  murmur  was  dis- 
tinguishable in  the  American  camp,  from  which  they  were 
separated  by  a  mile  of  unoccupied  ground,  that  indicated 
some  important  movement  now  in  progress,  which  the 
darkness  entirely  concealed.  At  length  these  muffled 
sounds  died  away,  moving  in  the  direction  of  the  River 
two  miles  distant,  until  the  only  noise  which  broke  the 
silence  of  the  night  was  the  dull,  threatening  stroke  of 
pick  and  bar,  proceeding  from  the  enemy's  entrenching 
force. 

At  two  o'clock  the  sudden  explosion  of  a  heavy  gun, 
apparently  from  one  of  the  American  redoubts  on  the 
right,  burst  with  a  menacing  roar  upon  the  night,  and 
sent  a  shock  to  many  an  anxious  heart.  *  Was  it  the  sig- 
nal for  the  expected  assault  ? '  or,  *  Was  it  the  fire  from  a  bat- 
tery, to  repel  an  approaching  column  of  the  enemy  ? '  It  is 
possible  that  the  explosion  was  within  the  American  lines, 
and  caused  by  the  friction  of  spiking  the  gun ;  but,  from 
whatever  cause,  none  who  heard  it  probably  ever  forgot 
the  awful  sensations  of  overwhelming  alarm  and  surprise, 
which  rushed  upon  their  minds.  The  intense  and  appall- 
ing darkness  of  the  night,  the  strained  faculties,  the  un- 
certainty as  to  the  design  of  their  movement,  the  terrible 
hazard  of  its  issue,  the  great  interest  at  stake,  with  the 


276  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

long  interval  of  anxious  suspense  and  fearful  expectation 
broken  suddenly  by  the  loud  roar  of  this  explosion, — 
these  left  nothing  which  the  human  soul  is  capable  of 
feeling,  to  increase  the  shock  of  the  sensation. 

Another  of  those  slight  filaments  on  which  then  hung 
suspended  tremendous  issues,  is  exhibited  in  an  in- 
cident which  very  nearly  threatened  destruction  to  the 
American  army.  And,  as  its  story  forms  one  of  the  most 
curious  episodes  of  this  great  drama,  we  shall  narrate  it 
at  length. 

One  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  reputable  citizens  of 
the  village  of  Brooklyn,  prior  to  the  Revolution,  was 
John  Rapalye,  whose  story  is  already  familiar  to  us.  His 
dwelling  house,  situated  near  the  River,  between  Fulton 
and  Main  streets,  entirely  overlooked  the  place  of  em- 
barkation for  the  retreating  army;  and  within  it  sat  a 
vindictive  woman,  brooding  over  her  wrongs,  who  for  an 
hour  seemed  to  hold  the  destiny  of  that  army  in  her  hand. 
Constantly  irritated  by  her  enforced  separation  from  her 
husband,  Mrs.  Rapalye  had  nurtured  a  spirit  of  hostility 
to  the  whigs,  which  fitted  her  for  accomplishing  a  revenge 
so  vast  and  sweeping,  that  one  who  had  designed  it  might 
have  shrunk  at  its  magnitude  and  might.  The  frequent 
insults  to  which  the  loyalist  families  were  subjected  by 
the  bitter  partisanship  of  the  times,  thus  kept  alive  resent- 
ments that  only  needed  opportunity  to  be  fearfully  revealed. 

It  is  said  that  one  day  a  party  of  the  undisciplined 
soldiers  who  had  gathered  here  for  the  defense  of  the  Brook- 
lyn lines,  who  were  exercising  in  artillery- firing  on  the 
Heights,  in  mere  wantonness,  or  inflamed  by  the  fierce 
spirit  of  party  zeal,  directed  their  gun  upon  the  house  of 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  277 

the  torj  Kapalye,  and  lodged  a  shot  in  its  walls.^  The 
opportunity  for  avenging  such  wrongs  and  insults  as  she  had 
suffered,  was  now  eagerly  seized.  The  narrative  of  her 
action  for  that  purpose,  is  from  her  own  lips. 

Early  in  the  evening  her  quick  ears,  made  more  sensi- 
tive by  the  watchfulness  of  resentment,  had  caught  the 
sound  of  unusual  movements  in  the  camp  of  the  Ameri- 
can army.  Soon  after,  she  noticed  the  gathering  upon 
the  shore,  near  the  ferry,  in  front  of  her  house,  of  great 
numbers  of  empty  boats,  which,  for  several  days  past,  had 
been  coming  loaded  to  the  water's  edge  with  armed  men. 
1^'ow,  they  floated  by  hundreds,  as  she  could  perceive  by 
the  boat  lanterns,  without  other  occupants  than  the  oars- 
men. It  was  evident  that  some  important  movement  was 
intended  ;  and  when,  at  eight  o'clock,  the  first  detachment 
of  the  retreating  army  marched  down  to  the  water's  edge 
and  pushed  off  in  the  boats,  the  whole  sagacious  design, 
with  all  the  vast  advantages  of  a  knowledge  of  it  to  the 
British,  was  revealed  to  her.  A  vindictive  and  resolute 
woman,  fired  with  the  keenest  sense  of  injury  and  desire 
for  vengeance,  had  penetrated  the  secret,  on  whose  preserv- 
ation depended  the  lives  of  hundreds  of  her  countrymen ! 
Woe  to  their  firesides,  and  their  loved  ones,  if  her  resolu- 
tion and  her  fortune  should  be  equal. 

To  convey  the  information  to  the  British  camp  in  person, 
was  impossible;  for  sbe  was  too  well  known  to  hope 
to  cross  the  American  lines  without  suspicion.  A  negro 
slave  was  the  only  person  available  for  her  purpose ;  and 
to  his  feeble  intelligence  she  was  compelled  to  intrust  the 


^  Tradition  preserves  the  story  that  this  outrage  was  committed  to  pun- 
ish Mrs.  Rapalye  for  ostentatiously  persisting  in  drinking  the  prohibited  Tea ! 


278  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

transmission  of  this  momentous  secret.  He  was  immedi- 
ately dispatched  with  orders  to  communicate'  the  intelli- 
gence to  the  first  British  officer  he  could  find.  The  slkve, 
favored  by  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and  aided  by  the 
craft  with  which  the  lower  intellects  are  endowed,  suc- 
ceeded in  evading  the  American  sentinels,  and,  after 
passing  the  lines  of  entrenchment,  made  his  way  to  the 
nearest  camp  of  the  British  forces.  It  seemed  as  if  the 
hand  of  fate,  reluctant  to  permit  the  escape  of  that  doomed 
army,  was  touching  the  dial-plate  of  history,  to  turn  the 
pointers  backward  a  century  !  But  the  malign  purpose 
failed.  At  the  very  point  of  culmination,  when  the  fate 
of  the  American  army  seemed  irrevocably  sealed,  one  of 
those  slender  yet  invincible  barriers  which  sometimes 
change  the  destiny  of- nations,  was  interposed,  to  prevent 
the  fulfilment  of  the  revengeful  woman's  project. 

The  guard  by  which  the  negro  was  halted,  was  composed 
of  Hessians,  ignorant  of  the  English  language,  and  thus 
incapable  of  comprehending  the  importance  of  his  mission. 
It  is  rendered  probable,  from  this  fact,  that  the  black 
had  found  his  egress  from  the  American  lines  between 
Freeke's  mill-pond  and  Fort  Greene,  in  front  of  which 
portion  of  them  the  Hessians  were  encamped.  Instead 
of  conducting  their  prisoner  to  an  English  officer,  by 
whom  all  the  vast  consequence  of  his  information  would 
have  been  instantly  comprehended  and  acted  upon,  the 
captors  committed  the  negro  to  the  custody  of  a  guard,  as  if 
suspecting  him  of  some  crime.  The  morning  was  breaking 
when  an  English  officer  visited  the  post,  and  heard  his 
statement ;  but  the  camp  was  then  already  aroused  with 
the  same  amazing  news  from  other  quarters. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  279  ' 

As  already  stated,  it  was  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening 
when  the  first  regiment  was  silently  paraded,  under  pre- 
tense of  attacking  the  enemy ;  and  it  soon  after  crossed 
from  the  heach,  between  Fulton  and  Main  streets.  The 
embarkation  took  place  under  the  superintendence  of  Gen. 
McDougal,  who  had  been  selected  by  Gen.  Washington 
for  this  important  office.  To  Gen.  Mifflin,  commanding 
the  Pennsylvania  battalions  of  Shee  and  Magaw,  and  the 
poor  remnants  of  Cols.  Smallwood's  an'3  Haslett's  batta- 
lions, was  confided  the  kindred  and  equal  task  of  covering 
the  retreat.  Washington  and  his  staff  were  on  horseback 
during  the  entire  night;  and,  as  some  accounts  state,  never 
left  the  Brooklyn  ferry-stairs  until  the  last  of  the  troops 
had  been  embarked.  We  shall  see,  however,  in  the  pro- 
gress of  our  narrative,  that  Washington's  anxiety  did  not 
permit  him  to  remain  at  this  point  during  the  whole 
period  occupied  by  the  retreat.  The  British  historians  of 
this  campaign  were  fond  of  reiterating  the  charge  that 
Washington,  early  in  the  evening,  had  sought  security  in 
^ew  York.^  Yet  nothing  is  more  certain  than  his  con- 
tinued presence  during  the  retreat,  and  his  personal  super- 
vision of  the  details  of  this  wonderful  military  movement, 
which  history  has  ranked  among  the  greatest  victories  it 
records.  All  night  long  sat,  on  his  gray  horse,  that  grand 
figure,  towards  which  were  turned  so  many  half-despairing 
eyes,  that  brightened  when  they  saw  that  Washington 
was  there.  Every  movement  was  executed  under  his 
personal  direction ;  and  so  perfect  was  his  anticipation  of 
each  emergency,  that  nothing  was  left  to  the  hazard 


^Knight' 8  Pictorial  History/  of  England. 


280  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

of  chance.  One  event  alone  occurred  to  mar  the  com- 
pleteness of  the  performance  of  this  stupendous  project; 
and  to  that  the  panic  and  insubordination  of  his  troops 
largely  contributed. 

The  narrative  of  this,  and  of  other  incidents  of  that 
eventful  night,  by  one  of  the  actors  in  its  scenes,  is  so  in- 
capable of  paraphrase  or  abbreviation,  without  injury  to 
its  dramatic  interest,  that  it  must  be  quoted  entire.  It  is 
the  brave  Col.  Hand  who  speaks : 

"  In  the  evening  of  the  twenty-ninth  of  August,  1776, 
with  several  other  commanding  officers  of  corps,  I  re- 
ceived orders  to  attend  Major-general  Mifflin.  When 
assembled.  Gen.  Mifflin  informed  us  that,  in  consequence 
of  the  determination  of  a  board  of  general  officers,  the 
evacuation  of  Long  Island,  where  we  then  were,  was  to  be 
attempted  that  night ;  that  the  Commander-in-chief  had 
honored  him  with  the  command  of  the  covering  party, 
and  that  our  corps  were  to  be  employed  in  the  service. 
He  then  assigned  us  our  stations,  which  we  were  to  oc- 
cupy as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  and  pointed  out  Brooklyn 
Church  as  an  alarm  post,  to  which  the  whole  were  to 
repair,  and  unitedly  oppose  the  enemy,  in  case  they  dis- 
covered our  movements,  and  made  an  attack  in  conse- 
quence. My  regiment  was  posted  in  a  redoubt,  on  the 
left  [Fort  Putnam],  and  in  the  lines  on  the  right  of  the 
great  road  below  [north  of]  Brooklyn  Church.  Capt. 
Henry  Miller  commanded  in  the  redoubt.  Part  of  a  regi- 
ment of  the  flying  camp  in  the  state  of  l^ew  York  were, 
in  the  beginning  of  the  night,  posted  near  me ;  but  they 
showed  so  much  uneasiness  at  their  situation,  that  I  peti- 
tioned Gen.  Mifflin  to  sufler  them  to  march  off.  After 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE  281 

that,  nothing  remarkable  happened  at  my  post  till  about 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  Alexander  Scammel, 
since  adjutant-general,  who  that  day  acted  as  aid-de-camp 
to  the  Commander-in-chief,  came  from  the  left,  inquiring 
for  Gen.  Mifflin,  who  happened  to  be  with  me  at  the  time. 
Scammel  told  him  that  the  boats  were  waiting,  and  that 
the  Commander-in-chief  was  anxious  for  the  arrival  of 
the  troops  at  the  ferry.  Gen.  Mifflin  said  he  thought 
Scammel  must  be  mistaken  ;  that  he  did  not  imagine  the 
General  could  mean  the  troops  he  immediately  com- 
manded. Scammel  replied  that  he  was  not  mistaken, 
adding  that  he  came  from  the  extreme  left,  and  had  ordered 
all  the  troops  he  met  to  march ;  that,  in  consequence,  they 
were  all  in  motion ;  and  that  he  should  go  on  to  give  the 
same  orders  to  others.  Gen.  Mifflin  then  ordered  me  to 
call  in  my  advanced  pickets  and  sentinels,  to  collect  and 
form  my  regiment,  and  to  march  as  soon  as  possible;  and 
then  quitted  me.  Having  marched  into  the  great  road 
leading  to  the  Church,  I  fell  in  with  the  troops  retreating 
from  the  left  of  the  lines ;  and,  on  arriving  at  the  Church, 
I  halted  to  take  up  my  camp  equipage,  which  in  the 
night  I  had  had  carried  there  by  a  small  party.  Gen. 
Mifflin  came  up  at  that  instant,  and  asked  the  reason  of 
the  halt.  I  told  him,  and  he  seemed  very  much  dis- 
pleased :  *  Damn  your  pots  and  kettles,  I  wish  the  devil 
had  them;  march  on.'  I  obeyed,  but  had  not  gone  far 
before  I  perceived  the  front  had  halted,  and  hastening  to 
inquire  the  cause,  I  met  the  Commander-in-chief,  who 
perceived  me  and  said  :  *  Is  not  that  Col.  Hand  ? '  I  an- 
swered in  the  affirmative.    His  Excellency  said  he  was 

surprised  at  me,  in  particular ;  that  he  did  not  expect  me 
36 


282  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

to  abandon  my  post.  I  answered,  that  I  had  not  aban- 
doned it ;  that  I  had  marched  by  order  of  my  immediate 
commanding  officer.  The  General  replied  that  it  was 
impossible.  I  told  him  I  hoped  if  I  could  satisfy  him 
I  had  the  orders  of  Gen.  Mifflin,  he  would  not  think  me 
particularly  to  blame.  He  said  hjB  undoubtedly  would 
not.  Gen.  Mifflin  just  then  coming  up,  and  asking 
what  the  matter  was,  his  Excellency  said  :  '  Good  God ! 
Gen.  Mifflin,  I  am  afraid  you  have  ruined  us  by  unsea- 
sonably withdrawing  the  troops  from  the  lines.'  Gen. 
Mifflin  replied  with  some  warmth  :  *  I  did  it  by  your 
order.'    His  Excellency  declared  that  '  it  could  not  be.' 

Gen.  Mifflin  swore,  '  by  I  did ;  '  and  asked  :  ^  Did 

Scammel  act  as  an  aid-de-camp  for  the  day,  or  did  he 
not? '  His  Excellency  acknowledged  he  did.  *  Then,'  said 
Mifflin,  had  orders  through  him.'  The  General  re- 
plied :  ^  It  is  a  dreadful  mistake ; '  and  informed  him  that 
matters  were  in  such  confusion  at  the  ferry,  that  unless 
we  could  resume  our  posts  before  the  enemy  discovered 
we  had  left  them,  in  all  probability  the  most  disagreeable 
consequences  would  follow.  "We  immediately  returned, 
and  had  the  good  fortune  to  recover  our  former  stations, 
and  keep  them  for  some  hours  longer,  without  the  enemy 
perceiving  what  was  going  forward." 

From  other  sources  we  learn  the  frightful  disorder  into 
which  affairs  had  fallen  at  the  ferry,  notwithstanding  the 
efforts  of  Washington  and  his  officers  to  control  the 
troops.  The  panic,  which  had  never  relaxed  its  para- 
lyzing hold  on  the  minds  of  the  more  craven,  had  now 
infected  even  the  bravest;  and  it  was  only  the  noble 
fellows  who  still  held  the  entrenchments  that  preserved 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  283 

their  self-control  and  native  courage.  "Within  the  lines 
resided  a  lady,  whose  husband  and  brother  were  officers 
of  the  American  army,  and  present  with  their  commands. 
During  the  dreadful  uproar  which  prevailed,  while  the 
mob  of  soldiers,  maddened  by  fear,  was  crowding  the 
declivity  from  Sands  street  to  the  water,  these  officers, 
despairing  of  restoring  order,  and  apprehensive  of  an 
immediate  attack,  rushed  into  the  house,  and  desired  her 
to  fly  with  her  child,  as  they  expected  every  moment  to 
be  cut  to  pieces.  The  only  avenue  of  escape  was  by  the 
ferry ;  but  the  fugitive  lady  found  that  an  impassable 
barrier  of  men,  rendered  ungovernable  by  fright,  cut  off 
her  access  to  it.  With  all  her  exertions  and  entreaties 
she  could  not  approach  nearer  to  it  than  a  quarter  of  a 
mile ;  and  so  great  were  the  trepidation  and  anxiety, 
that  she  saw  the  soldiers  in  the  rear  mounting  on  the 
shoulders  of  their  comrades  in  front,  and  clambering 
over  their  heads,  to  be  nearer  the  means  of  escape. 

A  nobler  sentiment  controlled  the  fears  with  which  the 
dangers  of  their  situation  naturally  impressed  the  minds 
of  the  soldiers  of  the  covering  regiments,  on  the  extreme 
left.  Appointed  to  be  the  last  to  retire,  daybreak  was 
appearing  when  orders  arrived  for  them  to  march.  Form- 
ing without  delay,  they  took  their  route  in  silence  along 
the  Wallabout  road  toward  the  Brooklyn  Church,  when 
suddenly  it  was  announced  that  the  British  light-horse 
were  charging  on  their  rear.  Improbable  as  was  the 
report,  it  was  so  vehemently  urged  that  the  regiment 
formed  to  receive  cavalry,  the  front  rank  kneeling,  and 
presenting  their  leveled  pikes,  with  which  a  portion  of 
the  men  were  armed,  while  their  comrades  stood  behind 


284  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

with  loaded  muskets  and  fixed  bayonets.  Scarcely  had 
the  four  battalions  recoramenced  their  march,  on  discover- 
ing that  they  were  unpursued,  when  it  was  found  that 
the  order  to  retreat  was  as  unfounded  as  the  alarm,  having 
undoubtedly  originated  in  the  unfortunate  error  of  Col. 
Scammel. 

IsTew  orders  arrived,  from  the  Commander-in-chief,  to 
return  with  the  greatest  expedition  to  their  posts,  and  re- 
occupy  the  lines.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  a  situation  of 
greater  hazard,  or  one  that  would  more  severely  try  the 
courage  of  the  bravest  troops ;  but  we  have  already  seen 
how  noble  sentiments,  and  generous  self-devotion,  in  these 
brave  men,  could  still  the  weaker  yet  not  less  natural 
emotions,  of  love  of  life,  and  regret  at  quitting  it. 

Another  hour  dragged  out  its  moments,  each  of  which 
was  golden  with  opportunity  for  the  flying  army,  yet  ever 
threatening  to  change  into  iron  hail.  Still  this  noble  corps 
waited,  and  waited,  in  stern  silence,  on  that  dim  and  me- 
nacing dawn,  along  the  Brooklyn  entrenchments,  lately 
thronged  with  their  comrades  now  safe  across  the  River. 
On  their  firm  courage,  their  sublime  devotion  of  their  lives 
to  their  country,  depended  the  most  tremendous  conse- 
quences ;  and  the  great  task  could  only  be  accomplished 
by  waiting,  in  the  gloom  of  that  sad  morning,  with  an 
impassable  River  and  a  flying  army  in  their  rear,  and  the 
awakening  hosts  of  a  resistless  and  triumphant  enemy  in 
their  front.  There  was  nothing  that  they  could  do  but 
stand  and  await  the  shock. 

One  of  this  forlorn  hope  has  left  a  record  of  their  com- 
mon sentiment.  The  pangs  of  death  would  be  but  mo- 
mentary.   One  resolute  rush  of  the  enemy,  one  hot  and 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


285 


murderous  struggle,  one  irresistible  torrent  sweeping  the 
parapet,  and  only  to  be  breasted  for  a  moment  hand 
to  hand,  and  all  would  be  over !  It  is  the  sublimest 
courage  thus  to  watch  and  to  endure. 

At  length  the  imperative  order  came  from  Washington 
for  the  retreat ;  and,  silent  as  they  had  stood  through  the 
long  hours  of  that  portentous  night,  they  marched  away. 
It  was  full  time.  The  dawn  was  already  struggling  with 
the  murky  atmosphere  which  mercifully  obstructed  its 
rays.  Already  the  enemy's  scouts,  and  reconnoitering 
parties,  warned  by  the  unnatural  silence,  were  stealing 
through  the  tangled  abatis,  and  peering  through  the  em- 
brasures of  the  redoubts,  or  cautiously  raising  their  heads 
above  the  parapets,  to  pierce  the  mystery  of  this  ominous 
stillness. 

Before  daybreak,  on  the  morning  of  the  thirtieth,  a  party, 
composed  of  a  corporal  and  six  men,  were  reconnoitering 
the  ground  in  front  of  the  lines,  and,  finding  no  pickets  or 
sentinels  on  post  at  that  part  of  them,  had  pushed  up 
close  to  the  ahatis.  This  they  found  much  difficulty  in 
penetrating,  in  the  darkness ;  but  at  four  o'clock  they  had 
crossed  the  ditch,  and  were  cautiously  peering  over  the 
breast-works.  The  universal  silence,  which  at  first  had 
made  them  approach  with  still  greater  circumspection, 
now  revealed  the  startling  fact  that  the  lines  were  aban- 
doned. The  information  was  immediately  communicated 
to  Major  Montrose,  the  officer  in  command  of  the  ad- 
vanced guard ;  and  in  thirty  minutes  the  pickets  were 
pushed  forward  into  the  American  works.  There  was 
still  time  for  a  movement  of  the  British  forces  that  would 
have  proved  disastrous  to  a  part  of  the  retreating  army ; 


286 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


but  the  same  want  of  accord  between  the  British  generals, 
which  had  more  than  once  interposed  a  barrier  to  their 
success,  again  interfered  to  prevent  the  complete  tri- 
umph of  the  British  arms. 

Gen.  Eobertson's  brigade  at  this  time  occupied  a  posi- 
tion across  the  Jamaica  and  Gowanus  roads ;  his  advance 
being  posted,  as  he  asserts,  at  the  distance  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty  to  two  hundred  yards  from  the  American 
lines.  The  coolness  that  had  been  engendered  by  the 
events  of  the  twenty-seventh,  between  Robertson  and  his 
Commander-in-chief,  had  not  lessened  in  the  interval,  and 
the  former  seems  to  have  determined  that  he  would  volun- 
teer neither  action  nor  advice.  Gen.  Robertson  admitted, 
on  his  cross-examination  by  Gen.  Howe,  that  he  received 
information  of  the  evacuation  of  the  American  camp  in 
Brooklyn,  before  seven  o'clock ;  yet  nearly  two  hours  had 
elapsed  before  he  actually  marched  a  detachment  of  his 
brigade  to  occupy  the  abandoned  lines.  He  declared,  on 
his  examination,  that  he  was  awaiting  orders  from  the 
commanding  General ;  and  seems  to  have  been  more  ani- 
mated by  a  desire  to  fasten  the  responsibility  of  gross 
neglect  and  bad  management  upon  his  Commander,  than 
to  avail  himself  of  his  important  advantage.  An  hour 
previous  to  Robertson's  movement,  his  pickets,  light- 
horse,  and  advanced  posts,  had  been  in  possession  of  the 
American  redoubts  and  fortified  lines.^ 


^  At  lialf-past  eiglit  tlie  first  brigade,  commanded  by  Gen.  Robertson  in 
person,  entered  the  lines ;  and  soon  after  the  fog  so  lifted  that  from  the  hill 
near  High  street,  he  could  just  discern  the  last  boats  of  the  retreating 
Americans  push  off  from  the  shore,  while  the  further  side  of  the  River  was 
covered  with,  those  who  had  already  made  good  their  escape.  So  close  were 
the  British  upon  the  rear  of  the  Americans  that  several  stragglers  were 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


287 


Four  hours  of  the  summer's  morning  had  passed,  and 
still  an  obscurity  as  of  night  hid  the  great  events  which 
were  transpiring.  Amid  the  gloom  moved  one  majestic 
form,  controlling  the  elements  of  discord,  and  struggling 
with  inexhaustible  energy,  to  master  even  the  apparent 
decisions  of  fate.  Unshaken  by  the  terrors  of  that  dread- 
ful night,  unmoved  by  the  appalling  dangers  that  threat- 
ened every  instant  to  overwhelm  that  throng  of  despairing 
men,  he  sat  on  his  gray  battle  horse,  by  the  Brooklyn 
ferry,  through  those  long  hours  of  dismay,  like  the  genius 
of  destiny.  On  that  stern,  calm  face,  the  conflicting 
emotions  which  swelled  his  heart,  left  no  trace.  All 
the  tremendous  possible  disasters  must  have  been  clear 
to  his  apprehension.  He  saw  how  those  thousands  of 
unmanned  and  terror-stricken  soldiers,  would  melt  away 
before  the  awful  storm  of  shot  and  shell  that  in  another 
hour  might  rain  upon  them.  He  saw  the  enemy's  batte- 
ries, of  forty  guns,  wheel  into  position  for  close  firing,  on 
the  hill  at  Concord  and  Prospect  streets.  Fifteen  thou- 
sand bayonets  gleamed  on  his  vision  as  they  sunk  to  the 
irresistible  charge.  And  two  thousand  cavalry  swept 
before  his  mental  vision,  in  pursuit  of  the  wretched  fugi- 
tives who  still  survived.  Thus,  conscious  of  the  dangers 
which  impended,  and  unappalled  by  their  imminence,  he 


killed,  or  taken  prisoners ;  among  whom  were  three  soldiers  who  had  lin- 
gered to  plunder,  and  on  the  approach  of  the  advanced  guard  of  the  British, 
had  hastened  to  their  boat,  but  who  were  fired  upon  and  compelled  to  yield. 
The  light  troops  of  the  British  reached  Fort  Stirling  on  the  Heights  in  time 
to  withdraw  the  spikes  from  the  abandoned  guns,  and  open  fire  upon  some 
of  the  retreating  boats.  Notwithstanding  the  haste  of  the  evacuation  the 
British  found  but  twenty-six  guns,  in  the  redoubts  and  fortifications  ;  and 
these  had  been  made  as  nearly  useless  as  the  necessity  for  silence  and  expe- 
dition would  permit. 


288  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

sat  amid  the  tumult,  whose  genius  was  to  mould  these 
unpromising  elements  into  a  result  that  should  vindicate, 
for  all  time,  his  unequalled  power  and  endurance.  Thus, 
tireless  in  energy  while  danger  was  nigh,  and  last  in 
retreat  when  it  was  over,  Washington,  always  greatest 
when  everything  seemed  lost,  saw  his  army  extricated 
from  the  jaws  of  a  destruction  that  had  almost  closed 
upon  it. 


There  was  one  officer,  who,  at  the  little  village  of  Ja- 
maica, had  listened  with  anxious  ear  to  the  distant  boom- 
ing of  the  cannon  on  the  day  of  battle,  who  was  now 
passing  the  last  ordeal  of  humanity.  The  high  station 
which  he  had  held  in  the  councils  of  the  revolutionists, 
the  grand  moderation  of  his  character,  combined  with  the 
firmness,  patriotism,  and  self-devotion  for  which  he  was 
remarkable,  would  under  any  circumstances  have  given 
him  an  honorable  reputation.  But  when  the  acts  of  his 
pure  life  were  crowned  with  the  final  sacrifice  of  martyr- 
dom, Gen.  Woodhull's  name  was  enrolled  among  his 
country's  noblest  heroes.  So  much  sorrow  and  indigna- 
tion has  his  fate  elicited,  that  the  partisans  of  the 
murdered  General  and  of  his  slayer,  though  a  century 
is  closing  its  shadows  over  the  event,  are  still  hotly  con- 
testing the  indictment  brought  against  the  latter,  by 
historians  who  have  weighed  the  testimony  on  either  side. 

Gen.  I^athaniel  "Woodhull  had  been  earlier  called  into 
the  service  of  his  country,  than  many  of  his  brother  offi- 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


289 


cers ;  for,  like  Washington,  he  had  acquired  some  know- 
ledge of  military  life  in  the  old  French  war.  He  had 
been  chosen  President  of  the  provincial  Congress  of  E"ew 
York,  in  which  sat  such  distinguished  revolutionists  as 
Jay,  Livingston,  Schuyler,  and  Benson.  At  an  early 
period  in  the  formation  of  a  military  force,  Woodhull  had 
been  appointed  Brigadier-General  of  the  State  levies ;  and 
he  commanded  the  district  including  the  counties  of  Long 
Island. 

It  was  considered  important  by  the  provincial  Congress 
that  Woodhull,  from  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Island, 
should  take  personal  command  of  the  militia  drafted  from 
its  towns ;  and,  accordingly,  soon  after  the  landing  of  the 
British  forces,  he  left  the  presidential  chair  for  the  open 
field.  Information  had  reached  'New  York  that  the 
enemy's  troops  were  suffering  from  want  of  fresh  provi- 
sions ;  and  to  prevent  them  from  receiving  a  supply 
was  to  be  the  first  object  of  Woodhull's  attention.  The 
ungracious  task  fell  to  his  hands,  therefore,  of  depriving 
his  old  neighbors  of  their  cattle  and  grain. 

From  Yellow  Hook  to  Jamaica,  all  the  horses,  cattle, 
and  swine,  were  swept  out  in  great  droves  upon  the  plains 
of  Hempstead,  or  gathered  within  the  Brooklyn  lines. 
Columns  of  smoke,  over  every  farm,  indicated  the  work  of 
destruction,  in  the  burning  stacks  of  grain  and  provender. 
The  inhabitants  were  permitted,  by  the  orders  of  the 
provincial  Congress,  to  retain  only  that  portion  of  their 
crops  which  was  absolutely  necessary  for  the  sustenance 
of  life.  One  cow,  and  one  horse,  was  left  in  each  neigh- 
borhood of  three  or  four  families.  The  provincial  Con- 
gress had  most  unaccountably  delayed  the  execution  of  one 
37 


290  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

important  military  measure  until  the  24th  of  August,  two 
days  after  the  landing  of  the  enemy.  This  was  the  levy 
en  masse  of  the  militia  of  the  Island.  The  inhabitants  of 
Kings  county,  thus  hurriedly  armed,  together  with  the 
Suffolk  and  Queens  county  regiments,  commanded  by 
Cols.  Smith  andRemsen,  were  placed  under  the  command 
of  Gen.  Woodhull.  Notwithstanding  the  provincial  Cod- 
gress  of  'New  York  had  fully  provided  for  retaining  its 
authority  over  the  militia  of  the  colony,  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  its  President  to  the  command,  that  body,  jealous 
of  its  own  authority,  or  distrustful  of  the  ability  of  its 
officers,  still  dictated  the  movements  of  the  forces  under 
their  command.  Gen.  Woodhull  was  directed  by  this 
unmilitary  authority  to  perform  a  service  unworthy  of  his 
rank,  and  at  a  hazard  which,  perhaps,  it  was  impossible 
for  even  military  genius  to  foresee.  Congress,  by  resolu- 
tion, had  provided  for  his  support  by  the  Long  Island 
regiments  of  militia  under  Smith  and  Hemsen,  but  the 
exigencies  of  the  service  prevented  this. 

Washington  replied  to  the  delegates  of  Congress,  that 
'  he  was  afraid  that  it  was  too  late  to  accomplish  its  tardy 
resolve  of  driving  off  all  the  cattle,  and  securing  the 
provisions,'  but  gave  his  consent  to  detach  Smith's  and 
Ttemsen's  regiments  on  that  service.  Congress  at  once 
directed  a  letter  to  be  sent  to  Woodhull,  informing  him 
that  these  troops  had  marched,  and  would  join  him  imme- 
diately. In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  the  General 
received  another  letter  from  Congress,  in  which  they 
notified  him  that  they  had  adopted  resolutions,  two 
days  previously,  which  prescribed  the  mode  in  which  they 
wished  their  orders  carried  out. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


291 


So  express  and  definite  were  these,  that  Woodhull  must 
have  felt  that  he  was  devoting  himself  to  almost  certain 
destruction  in  performing  them,  if  Remsen's  and  Smith's 
regiments  should  fail  to  come  up.  How  sensible  he  was 
of  the  imminent  danger  of  his  position,  may  be  seen  from 
his  letter,  in  which  he  states  his  belief  that  these  officers 
and  troops  would  not  be  able  to  reach  him.  In  the  perusal 
of  it,  with  a  full  comprehension  of  the  dangers  closing 
around  him,  we  cannot  withhold  our  sad  admiration  of  the 
self-devotion  and  heroism  which  he  exhibited :  "  I  am 
now  at  Jamaica,  with  less  than  one  hundred  men ;  having 
brought  all  the  cattle  from  the  westward,  south  of  the 
hills,  and  having  sent  them  off  with  troops  of  horse,  with 
orders  to  take  all  the  rest  eastward  of  this,  to,  and  east- 
ward of,  Hempstead  plains,  and  to  put  them  into  the  fields, 
and  set  a  guard  over  them.  The  enemy,  I  am  informed, 
are  entrenching  from  the  Heights  southward. 

"  I  have  now  received  yours,  with  several  resolutions, 
which  I  wish  it  were  in  my  power  to  put  in  execution ;  but 
unless  Cols.  Smith  and  Remsen,  mentioned  in  yours,  join 
me  with  their  regiments,  I  shall  not  be  able;  for  the 
people  are  all  moving  east,  and  I  cannot  get  any  assistance 
from  them.  I  shall  continue  here  as  long  as  I  can,  in 
hopes  of  a  reinforcement ;  but  if  none  comes  soon,  I  shall 
retreat,  and  drive  the  stock  before  me  into  the  woods. 
Cols.  Smith  and  Remsen,  I  think,  cannot  join  me.  Un- 
less you  can  send  me  some  other  assistance,  I  fear  I  shall 
soon  be  obliged  to  quit  this  place.  I  hope  soon  to  hear 
from  you."  ^ 

*  Letter  dated  Jamaica,  August  27tli,  1776,  and  directed  to  The  Honorable 
the  Convention  of  the  State  of  New  York,  at  Haarlem. 


292 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


It  is  evident  that  this  letter  was  written  on  the  morning 
of  the  twenty-seventh,  before  the  sound  of  the  enemy's 
guns  had  announced  the  closing  of  his  lines  around  the 
fated  Sullivan  and  Stirling. 

The  unskilful  generalship  of  the  provincial  Congress, 
had  at  length  brought  on  the  catastrophe  which  a  divided 
command  must  always  produce.  General  WoodhuU,  in- 
stead of  being  directed  to  employ  Capt.  Suydam's  troop  of 
horse,  and  the  cavalry  from  Queens  county,  in  patroUing 
the  road  to  Flatbush,  where  it  was  known  the  enemy  was 
encamped  in  heavy  force,  was  compelled,  by  the  unmili- 
tary  council  of  legislative  warriors,  to  perform  the  insig- 
nificant duty  of  herding  cattle.  In  a  military  point  of  view, 
nothing  more  was  necessary  to  guard  against  the  surprise 
of  the  American  army  than  to  have  extended  Sullivan's 
left  wing,  not  along  the  hills  to  Jamaica,  but  from  near 
the  Clove  road  to  the  head  of  any  of  the  runs  emptying 
into  Canarsie  Bay.  As  a  defensive  line  in  that  direction 
was  impossible,  from  the  perfectly  level  character  of  the 
ground,  and  the  small  numbers  who  could  be  spared  for 
its  occupation,  this  part  of  the  line  should  have  been 
patrolled  by  numerous  videttes. 

For  the  command  of  such  a  service,  Gen.  Woodhull  was 
well  fitted,  by  his  experience  in  the  wild  warfare  of  the 
French  campaigns ;  and  the  troops  of  country  horsemen 
were  admirably  adapted  to  perform  the  duty.  Perfectly 
familiar  with  the  wood -paths  which  threaded  the  forest, 
then  covering  the  hills  from  l^ew  Utrecht  to  Jamaica,  the 
advance  of  the  British  columns  could  not  have  been  made 
so  silently  that  some  of  those  watching  them  would  have 
failed  to  reach  the  American  lines  with  the  intelligence. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


293 


At  ten  o'clock  the  reinforcements,  promised  so  confi- 
dently by  Congress,  had  not  arrived ;  and  at  that  hour  the 
roar  of  the  enemy's  artillery,  answered  by  the  heavy  guns 
on  the  American  fortifications,  afforded  sad  evidence 
to  Gen.  WoodhuU  that  his  prognostications  in  his  letter  to 
Congress  had  been  fulfilled,  and  that  it  was  too  late  for 
reinforcements  to  reach  him. 

The  repeated  embassies  to  Gen.  Washington  from  Con- 
gress had  failed  of  persuading  him  to  weaken  his  forces 
manning  the  Brooklyn  intrenchments,  already  attenuated 
to  the  mere  shadow  of  a  line  of  defense.  The  Com- 
mander-in-chief at  length  positively  declined  to  detach  the 
two  Long  Island  regiments  from  his  army,  for  a  distant 
and  unimportant  service;  wondering,  probably,  at  the  quiet 
audacity  of  the  assumption  by  Congress  of  his  incompe- 
tence to  command. 

To  the  peril  of  his  own  situation,  Woodhull's  knowledge 
of  the  weakness  of  the  American  forces  now  added  the 
most  anxious  apprehension  for  their  safety.  His  scouts  had 
informed  him  that  the  British  had  turned  the  American 
lines;  and  the  fugitive  inhabitants,  who  fled  past  him 
toward  the  east,  kept  him  constantly  informed  of  the 
advance  of  their  outposts.  Although  he  knew  that  rein- 
forcements from  Brooklyn  were  no  longer  possible,  he 
still  expected  that  troops  would  reach  him  by  crossing  the 
East  River  to  Flushing  bay,  and  marching  across  the  E"ew- 
town  and  Jamaica  hills. 

To  expedite  the  arrival  of  these  troops,  and  thus  enable 
him  to  hold  a  position  that  would  check  the  enemy's  ad- 
vance eastward,  he  sent  Jonathan  Lawrence,  his  brigade 
Major,  to  the  Convention,  to  enforce  his  representations  by 


294  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

a  personal  appeal.  A  few  hours  previously  he  had  written 
to  that  body  as  follows  : 

"  Enclosed  I  send  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Col.  Pot- 
ter, who  left  me  yesterday  at  eleven  o'clock,  after  bring- 
ing about  one  hundred  men  to  me  at  Jamaica. 

"  Major  Smith  has,  I  expect,  all  the  rest  who  were  to 
come  from  Suffolk  county.  There  have  about  forty  of  the 
militia  joined  me  from  the  regiments  in  Queens  county, 
and  about  fifty  of  the  troops  belonging  to  Kings  and  Queens 
counties,  which  is  nearly  all  I  expect.  I  have  got  all  the 
cattle  southward  of  the  hills  in  Kings  county  driven  to  the 
eastward  of  the  cross  road  between  the  two  counties,  and 
have  placed  the  guards  and  sentries  from  the  north  road 
to  the  south  side  of  the  Island,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
cattle  going  back,  and  to  prevent  the  communication  of 
the  tories  with  the  enemy.  I  am  within  six  miles  of  the 
enemy's  camp.  Their  light  horse  has  been  ^within  two  miles  ; 
and  unless  I  have  more  men  our  stay  here  will  answer  no 
purpose.  We  shall  soon  want  to  be  supplied  with  provi- 
sions, if  we  tarry  here."  ^  In  this  painful  state  of  uncer- 
tainty, Gen.  Woodhull  remained  through  the  twenty- 
seventh,  worn  down  with  anxiety  regarding  the  issue  of 
the  battle,  which  he  knew  had  terminated  in  the  advance 
of  the  British  lines. 

With  the  difficult  task  to  perform,  of  sweeping  a  wide 
extent  of  country  of  sustenance  for  the  enemy ;  his  com- 
munications with  head-quarters  cut  off;  his  command 
scattered  so  widely  on  their  service  as  to  be  unvailable  for 
defense ;  and  the  enemy's  light  horse  pushed  upon  the  main 


^  Letter  dated  West  End  of  Queens  county,  August  27th,  1776. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


295 


road  within  two  miles  of  his  post  —  he  was  surrounded  with 
elements  of  danger  sufficient  to  have  justified  the  aban- 
donment of  such  a  perilous  and  detached  position,  in  the 
judgment  of  most  officers. 

There  was,  however,  in  the  calm  resolution  of  the  old 
Presbyterian  General's  mind  something  of  the  stern  indif- 
ference to  results  which  characterized  his  Puritan  ances- 
tors, when  employed,  as  they  were  wont  to  believe,  as  mere 
instruments  for  the  purposes  of  the  Almighty.  It  was  well 
said  by  the  historian,  Silas  Wood,  "  that  the  nature  of  the 
service  in  which  the  General  was  employed,  and  the  force 
placed  under  him,  were  alike  unworthy  of  his  command." 
But  it  was  indicative  of  the  purity  of  his  patriotism  that  he 
accepted  at  once  a  position  in  which  he  could  be  useful, 
though  a  more  ambitious  officer  would  have  rejected  it 
with  scorn.  He  had  more  military  experience  than 
most  of  the  early  officers  of  the  revolutionary  army,  and 
no  one  in  this  State  promised  to  make  a  better  general 
officer."  1 

The  failure  of  Congress  to  hold  a  session  on  the  twenty- 
seventh,  contributed  to  the  melancholy  result  of  the  expe- 
dition; for  his  express  returned  on  the  morning  of  the 
twenty-eighth,  with  no  other  answer  to  his  communica- 
tion than  a  copy  of  the  previous  resolution  of  Congress. 
The  great  herd  of  cattle  and  horses  on  the  plains,  already 
half-famished  for  water,  with  which  that  vast  prairie  was 
so  ill  supplied,  had  been  still  further  augmented  in  num- 
bers, on  the  twenty-seventh,  by  the  cattle  from  the  rich 
farms  of  ^S'ewtown  ;  and  during  the  night,  the  General  had 

*  Appendix  4 ;  letters  from  Journal  of  the  Provincial  Congress,  pp.  273, 276. 
foHo.    Wood's  L.  1.,  p.  315. 


296  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

removed  his  head-quarters  to  Carpenter's  Junction,  on  the 
main  road,  two  miles  east  of  Jamaica. 

It  was  here,  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-eighth,  that 
he  wrote  his  last  letter  to  the  provincial  Congress,  almost 
the  last  official  act  of  his  life : 

"  I  wrote  two  letters  to  you  yesterday,  one  by  express, 
and  another  by  Mr.  Harper;  and  also  sent  my  brigade 
Major  to  you,  to  let  you  know  my  situation ;  and  I  expected 
an  answer  to  some  of  them  last  night ;  but  my  express  in- 
formed me  he  was  detained  till  night  for  an  answer.  I 
have  now  received  yours  of  the  28th,  which  is  only  a  copy 
of  the  last,  without  a  single  word  of  answer  to  my  letters, 
or  to  the  messages  of  my  brigade  Major.  I  must  again  let 
you  know  my  situation.  I  have  about  seventy  men,  and 
about  twenty  of  the  troop ;  which  is  all  the  force  I  have,  or 
can  expect,  and  I  am  daily  growing  less  in  number.  The 
people  are  so  alarmed  in  Suffolk  that  they  will  not  any 
more  of  them  march ;  and  as  to  Cols.  Smith  and  Remsen's 
regiments,  they  cannot  join  me,  for  the  communication  is 
cut  off'between  us.  I  have  sent  about  eleven  hundred  cattle 
to  the  great  fields  on  the  plains  yesterday.  About  three 
hundred  more  have  gone  off"  this  morning,  to  the  same 
place;  and  I  have  ordered  a  guard  of  one  officer  and 
seven  privates. 

"  They  can  get  no  water  in  these  fields.  My  men  and 
horses  are  worn  out  with  fatigue.  The  cattle  are  not  all 
gone  off  toward  Hempstead ;  I  ordered  them  yesterday, 
but  they  were  not  able  to  take  them  along.  I  brought  yes- 
terday about  three  hundred  from  T:^"ewtown.  I  think  the 
cattle  are  in  as  much  danger  on  the  north  as  on  the  south 
side ;  and  have  ordered  the  inhabitants  to  remove  them. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  297 

If  you  cannot  send  me  an  immediate  reinforcement  I 
am"^       *       *  * 

The  abrupt  termination  of  this  letter  is  indicative  of  the 
harassing  nature  of  the  service  in  which  Woodhull  was 
employed.  Major  Lawrence  had  meantime  appeared  on 
the  floor  of  Congress,  and  delivered  his  urgent  message 
from  the  General.  He  stated  also,  that  Dr.  Abraham 
Riker  had  informed  him,  on  his  route,  that  the  British 
had  posted  themselves  during  the  twenty-seventh  on  the 
ridge  of  hills  between  IlTewtown  and  Jamaica,  and,  al- 
though they  had  entered  many  of  the  houses,  none  of  these 
had  been  plundered  of  any  thing  but  food.  Congress 
could  do  nothing  more  than  order  the  Major  to  present 
the  request  of  Woodhull  to  Gen.  Washington,  with  the 
information  which  he  possessed  of  the  route  by  which 
Smith's  and  Remsen's  regiments  could  still  reach  the 
position  of  the  former. 

Mr.  Van  Wyck  was  on  the  same  day  ordered  upon  the 
perilous  duty  of  a  spy.  He  was  directed  to  proceed  imme- 
diately to  Flushing,  then  known  to  be  patrolled  by  scout- 
ing parties  of  the  enemy,  and  obtain  intelligence  of  their 
number  and  situation.  He  was  also  directed  to  obtain 
accurate  information  of  the  posts  held  by  Woodhull ;  and 
to  immediately  dispatch  a  boat,  conveying  his  message, 
through  Flushing  bay  to  ISTew  York.  An  important  part 
of  his  duty  was  to  ascertain  and  report  upon  the  most 
favorable  route  for  forwarding  reinforcements.  What  more 
Mr.  Van  Wyck  accomplished  than  to  write  a  letter  to 
Congress,  containing  the  information  demanded,  we  shall 


^Journal  of  Promncial  Congress. 

38 


298 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


never  learn;  as  he  probably  fell,  soon  after,  into  the  hands 
of  some  of  the  advanced  guards  of  the  British.^ 

It  was  not  until  the  morning  of  the  twenty-eighth  that 
Congress  sent  Major  Lawrence  to  Gen.  Washington,  with 
Woodhull's  letter  of  the  day  previous,  enclosed  in  one  from 
that  body. 

One  day  of  disaster  had  destroyed  the  military  energy 
of  these  civic  Generals;  but  they  were  still  ready  to  proffer 
their  advice  to  the  Commander-in-chief  upon  the  unfortu- 
nate subject  of  the  cattle,  the  care  of  which  had  led  to  such 
great  misfortunes  on  the  day  previous, —  which  misfortunes 
were  to  be  crowned  with  one  of  less  magnitude,  but 
scarcely  less  sad,  before  the  close  of  the  same  day.  They 
stated  that  it  was  their  opinion,  that  the  stock  on  the 
Island  might  yet  be  removed  beyond  the  enemy's  reach, 
by  the  aid  of  Smith's  and  Eemsen's  troops;  and  that  it  was 
still  practicable  for  this  detachment  to  reach  Woodhull, 
by  a  circuitous  route. 

Around  the  position  of  Gen.  Washington,  and  his  little 
army  on  Long  Island,  at  that  hour  were  closing  in  the  fate- 
ful lines,  beyond  which  all  was  gloomy  and  threatening  as 
the  grave.  He  had  little  time,  and  no  troops,  to  spare  for 
an  exigency  so  distant,  while  the  existence  not  only  of 

^  Flushing,  Aug.  28th,  1776. 

To  tlie  Provincial  Congress : 

Gentlemen :  I  am  informed  by  Thomas  Thorn,  a  member  of  the  committee, 
who  has  just  come  from  Gen.  Woodhull,  that  he  was  at  Jamaica,  and  that  he 
himself  had  just  come  from  Whitestone  ;  that  the  ships  of  war  lay  between 
Thorn's  Point  and  Great  Neck  ;  and  that  there  can  be  no  danger  in  bringing 
up  our  men  to  this  place,  if  we  can  get  them  up  this  evening.  I  think  it  will 
be  proper  to  send  this  intelligence  off  as  soon  as  possible,  by  the  same  boat, 
as  I  cannot  get  any  other. 

I  am  just  going  to  Jamaica  to  the  General. 

I  am,  Gentlemen,  Your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

CoR's  Van  Wyck. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  299 

himself  and  his  army,  but  of  that  very  Congress,  hung  even 
then  upon  a  hair.  He  still  replied  courteously,  though  the 
half-promise  of  two  days  previous  was  now  changed  to  a 
firm  refusal  of  the  request.  In  his  letter  he  indicates  a 
plan  of  reinforcing  Gen.  Woodhull  from  Connecticut,  by 
the  detachment  of  a  thousand  men  by  Gov.  Trumbull. 
Is"othing  now  remained,  that  TVoodhull  could  be  expected 
to  do,  except  to  return  beyond  the  reach  of  the  enemy,  or 
to  gather  in  his  little  force  on  the  best  defensible  position, 
and  resist  their  advance  to  the  last.  The  humane  heart 
of  Woodhull  rejected  this  last  alternative,  from  regard  to 
the  lives  of  his  men,  as  promptly  as  his  courage  and  self- 
devotion  made  him  disdain  the  other. 

Every  communication  from  the  Convention,  whose 
officer  he  was,  exhibited  their  strong  desire  that  he  should 
retain  his  position  in  the  western  part  of  Queens  county, 
and  encouraged  him  to  expect  a  reinforcement.  iN'ot  only 
had  no  intelligence  been  received  from  that  body  to  the 
contrary,  but  the  delay  of  Major  Lawrence,  who  was  de- 
tained by  the  Convention,  strengthened  his  conviction  that 
the  reinforcement  was  on  the  march. 

To  have  retreated,  under  such  circumstances,  seemed  to 
him  a  violation  of  military  rules,  and  might  have  subjected 
him  to  the  imputation  of  a  dishonorable  neglect  of  duty. 
It  was  in  this  emergency  that  the  lofty  disregard  of  per- 
sonal security  exhibited  itself  in  his  decision.^ 

Under  all  the  uncertainties  of  his  position,  a  brave  man 
might  have  retired  without  shame ;  but  a  noble  and  con- 
scientious one  always  decides  on  the  side  of  self-sacrifice. 


^SUas  Wood's  Sketch  oftJie  Settlement  of  Long  Island. 


300  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

He  adopted  the  course  which  his  own  delicate  sense  of 
honor  and  of  duty  dictated,  and  resolved  not  to  retreat 
until  he  was  relieved  froni  his  perilous  service  by  absolute 
orders  from  the  Convention.  Unwilling  that  his  com- 
mand should  share  his  peril,  the  General  ordered  his  troops, 
on  the  morning  of  the  28th,  to  take  a  position  about  four 
miles  beyond  Jamaica,  while  he  returned  thither,  accom- 
panied only  by  an  orderly  or  two,  to  receive  the  expected 
message  from  the  Convention.  There  he  awaited  its 
arrival,  until  late  in  the  afternoon;  and  then  returned 
slowly  to  his  head-quarters  of  the  day  before,  only  on 
receipt  of  the  intelligence  that  the  British  outposts  were 
being  pushed  rapidly  toward  the  village. 

It  was  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  before  his  confidence 
in  the  power  and  intention  of  Congress  to  reinforce  him 
was  broken,  and  his  high  sense  of  honor  permitted  him  to 
abandon  his  post. 

He  had  scarcely  quitted  the  village  of  Jamaica  before 
the  spell  which  had  seemed  to  hold  in  check  the  British  ad- 
vance of  light  guards  was  broken,  and  a  squadron  of  fierce 
troopers  was  riding  hard  in  his  pursuit.  The  enemy  had 
been  informed,  the  day  before,  that  a  rebel  General  was 
holding  a  position  at  Jamaica,  with  considerable  force ;  and 
they  were  unwilling  to  attack,  with  a  detachment  of  only 
a  few  hundreds,  what  might  prove  a  formidable  work,  de- 
fended by  a  large  body  of  men.  Some  of  the  tories,  who 
swarmed  in  the  neighborhood  of  Jamaica,  had  afterward 
reached  the  British  lines,  and  informed  young  Oliver 
De  Lancey  of  the  true  position  of  the  American  General. 

A  squadron  of  the  17th  regiment  of  British  dragoons  was 
mounted  in  haste,  and  pushed  on  in  his  pursuit,  accom- 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  301 

panied  by  a  detachment  of  the  Tlst  infantry,  and  guided 
by  loyahsts  who  hoped  to  be  revenged  for  the  loss  of 
their  horses  and  cattle,  and  to  repay  the  long  debt  for  the 
insult  and  harrying  to  which  they  had  been  exposed 
during  the  past  year.  Unchecked  by  the  bursting  of  one 
of  the  fierce  thunder-storms  which  occur  so  frequently 
on  our  sea-coast  at  that  season,  De  Lancey's  troops  rode 
furiously  into  the  village  of  Jamaica,  stopping  at  the 
houses  indicated  by  their  tory  guides  to  capture  such 
rebel  officers  as  had  been  quartered  in  them.  Col.  Eobin- 
son,  who  had  occupied  a  room  in  the  house  of  Mrs.  Cebra, 
had  but  a  few  minutes  before  mounted  his  horse  at  the 
door,  to  accompany  Gen.  Woodhull ;  and  one  Robert 
Moore,  of  1^^'ewtown,  answered  their  rude  summons  on 
its  panels.  The  sanguinary  intentions  of  the  troopers  to- 
ward Col.  Eobinson,  were  fully  indicated  by  the  savage 
cruelty  which  they  exhibited  toward  Mr.  Moore;  and 
their  undiscriminating  fury  throws  light  upon  the  gloomy 
incidents  which  followed.  Without  questioning  his  iden- 
tity, though  evidently  mistaking  him  for  the  Colonel,  they 
hacked  at  Moore  with  their  sabres,  until  his  hand  was 
nearly  cut  from  his  arm. 

Mr.  Onderdonk  obtained  much  information  from  the 
traditions  of  the  neighborhood,  and,  in  some  cases,  from 
the  persons  who  were  contemporaries  of  the  tragic  events 
we  are  seeking  to  elucidate,  which  throws  not  a  little  light 
upon  the  obscure  history  of  those  events.  He  says  that 
there  is  little  doubt  that  the  light  horse  were  expressly 
detached  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  Woodhull  and  his 
command,  and  of  securing  the  great  herd  of  stock  which 
they  had  collected. 


302  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

Among  the  persons  whose  testimony  Mr.  Onderdonk 
secured,  was  Major  "William  Howard,  who,  at  the  great 
age  of  eighty-six,  retained  still  the  most  vivid  recollection 
of  the  events  of  the  Kevolution. 

Major  Howard  said  that  on  the  uight  of  the  26th,  before 
the  battle,  the  light  horse,  who  acted  as  scouts,  heard  from 
the  tories  where  WoodhulPs  party  lay,  and  started  with 
the  expectation  of  effecting  its  capture.  Exaggerated  ac- 
counts of  the  number  of  his  force  were,  however,  received 
so  constantly  from  the  country  people,  that  the  light  horse 
became  alarmed,  and  soon  returned  without  ever  having 
seen  Woodhull  or  his  troops.  Others  narrate  that  on  the 
day  succeeding  the  battle,  the  troop  of  light  horse  was  again 
detached  upon  the  same  enterprise,  and  entered  Jamaica 
just  as  the  inhabitants  were  engaged  at  their  evening  meal. 
The  object  of  their  advance  was  apparent,  as  they  every- 
where made  inquiries  concerning  Woodhull's  position. 
They  stopped  before  the  house  of  Robert  Hinchman,  a 
well  known  whig,  who,  on  perceiving  their  approach,  ran 
out  of  the  back  door,  but  was  intercepted  in  his  flight  by 
the  soldiers  who  had  already  surrounded  the  dwelling,  ex- 
pecting, doubtless,  to  find  Woodhull  quartered  there.  Mr. 
Hinchman  was  seen  by  his  family  surrounded  by  the  in- 
furiated soldiery,  apparently  about  to  cut  him  to  pieces, 
while  he  was  upon  his  knees,  with  uplifted  hands,  as  if  to 
ward  off  their  blows.  Discovering  that  he  was  not  their 
intended  victim,  the  captors  spared  his  life,  but  placed  him 
in  confinement  that  night,  and  marched  him  away  with 
the  other  prisoners  the  next  day. 

Discovering  that  their  intended  victim  had  escaped, 
they  pushed  on  to  the  eastward  in  pursuit.    The  devoted 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


303 


Generalj  meanwhile,  unconscious  of  the  approach  of  his 
pursuers,  had  reached  his  quarters  of  the  day  before,  at  the 
inn  of  Increase  Carpenter.  This  house  possesses  a  his- 
toric interest,  aside  from  having  been  the  scene  of  the  mas- 
sacre which  followed.  It  was  within  its  walls  that  the  first 
revolutionary  gathering  on  Long  Island  was  held,  and  that 
the  first  resolutions  expressive  of  patriotic  sentiments  were 
adopted.  A  narrow  farm-lane  ran  at  right  angles  to  the 
road,  up  to  the  hills,  then  as  now  covered  with  a  dense 
forest,  and  extending  parallel  with  the  main  road,  from 
which  they  were  distant  about  half  a  mile. 

The  inn  was  the  ordinary  Dutch  farm-house,  with  a  hall 
running  through  the  centre,  the  back  door  of  which  opened  * 
upon  an  enclosure,  bounded  on  one  side  by  the  rail-fence 
along  the  lane.  To  one  of  the  fence  posts  in  this  lane,  or 
beneath  the  shed  in  close  proximity,  the  General  secured 
his  horse;  apparently  with  the  intention,  should  a  sudden 
advance  of  the  enemy's  pickets  be  made,  of  riding  unob- 
served up  to  the  woods  on  the  hills,  where,  in  the  gloom 
of  the  evening,  he  would  have  been  safe  from  pursuit  in  a 
few  moments.  WoodhuU  had  scarcely  seated  himself, 
when  the  dragoons  of  De  Lancey  appeared  almost  at  the 
door,  the  roar  of  the  thunder  and  the  beating  of  the  torrents 
of  rain  having  deadened  the  sound  of  their  horses'  hoofs. 
Every  indication  is  given  by  his  actions  that  Gen.  Wood- 
hull  had  become  aware  of  his  danger,  but  had  resolved  to 
risk  everything  rather  than  abandon  a  position  which 
might  be  of  vital  consequence  in  the  plans  of  the  Com- 
mander-in-chief. On  reaching  Carpenter's  tavern  his 
first  act  had  been  to  order  Col.  Robinson  forward,  remain- 


304  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

ing  himself,  without  attendance,  in  the  still  lingering  hope 
of  receiving  some  communication  from  the  Congress.  But 
that  fatal  illusion,  born  of  an  excessive  confidence  in  this 
body,  was  now  rudely  dispelled.    The  shouts  of  the  eager 
dragoons  as  they  dashed  up  to  the  door,  led  on  by  the  tory 
Smith,  an  ostler,  who  guided  them,  first  warned  him  of  his 
imminent  danger.    The  General  sprang  to  the  rear  hall- 
door,  which  was  secured  with  one  of  those  ponderous 
latches  whose  handle  forms  part  of  a  huge  knocker,  and 
the  unfastening  of  which  cost  him  some  precious  moments 
of  time.    Once  in  the  enclosure,  his  first  efi:brt  was  to 
reach  his  horse  in  the  lane ;  and  it  was  while  in  the  act  of 
clearing  the  fence,  close  to  the  head  of  the  animal,  that  he 
was  overtaken  by  the  dismounted  dragoons,  who  had 
plunged  through  the  hall  in  pursuit  of  him.    The  scene  of 
sickening  murder  which  followed  is  scarcely  paralleled  in 
history,  since  civilization  forbade  the  slaughter  of  prisoners 
as  a  privilege  of  the  conqueror.    The  wretched  and  cow- 
ardly officer  who  first  reached  the  General,  has  had  the 
rare  good  fortune  to  have  a  strange  obscurity  thrown  over 
his  identity.    Capt.  De  Lancey  is  admitted  to  have  com- 
manded the  troops  in  person,  and  has  been  solemnly 
charged  with  the  crime  of  murdering  the  venerable  man, 
who  had  surrendered  unresistingly  to  his  demand.  Silas 
"Wood  does  not  appear  to  have  been  aware  of  Col.  Troop's 
letter;  for  he  attributes  the  massacre  to  one  Major  Baird, 
of  the  71st  regiment.    The  ruffian,  whichever  of  them  it 
was,  approached  the  General  with  the  exclamation,  "  Sur- 
render, you  damned  rebel !  "    Without  making  a  single 
motion  that  could  be  construed  into  resistance,  Woodhull 
at  once  tendered  him  his  sword. 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  305 

Unappeased  by  this  act  of  submission,  the  officer,  with 
still  uplifted  sword,  demanded  in  an  infuriated  tone, 
"  Say,  God  save  the  Eang! 

The  devoted  General,  undaunted  by  his  violence, 
only  replied  in  a  calm  tone  of  dignity  and  courage,  God 
save  us  all  I  "  God  save  the  King  !  Say,  God  save  the 
King  I "  shouted  the  brutal  leader,  as  he  aimed  the  swift 
blows  of  his  sabre  at  the  defenseless  head  of  the  old  Gen- 
ral.  The  instinctive  raising  of  his  arm  at  this  attack,  was 
but  to  protect  his  head  and  face  from  the  sabre  cuts  >  and 
it  was  only  when  both  were  frightfully  hacked,  that  he 
feU  to  the  ground,  without  uttering  other  words  than  of 
regret  that  he  had  surrendered.  The  sanguinary  ruffian 
would  undoubtedly  have  completed  his  murderous  design, 
in  putting  the  General  to  death,  had  he  not  been  pre- 
vented by  another  officer  possessing  more  honor  and 
humanity. 

From  the  place  where  he  fell  Woodhull  was  removed 
a  few  feet,  to  the  foot  of  a  maple  tree  which  grew  near 
the  hall  door ;  and  there,  bleeding  nearly  to  death,  he  lay 
until  the  troops,  fearful  of  being  intercepted  by  some  of 
"Woodhull's  force,  departed  in  as  great  haste  as  they  had 
come. 

Gen.  Woodhull,  the  blood  still  streaming  from  his 
wounds,  was  mounted  behind  one  of  the  troopers,  and 
hurried  back  to  Jamaica.  He  was  placed  in  Mrs.  ffinch- 
man's  tavern ;  and  although  Drs.  Ogden  and  Minema  of 
that  place  waited  upon  him  for  the  purpose  of  dressing 
his  wounds,  they  were  refused  permission,  and  a  British 
surgeon  was  directed  to  perform  that  service,  which  he 
did  with  much  kindness  and  skill.  The  wounds  on  Wood- 
39 


306  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

hull's  person  were  ten  in  number  —  seven  deep  gashes  on 
his  arm,  nearly  severing  it  in  more  than  one  place  from 
his  body,  and  three  on  his  head. 

The  fortitude  with  which  Woodhull  met  his  misfortune 
exhibits  the  repose  of  a  mind  prepared  for  all  ills,  by  a 
consciousness  of  unblemished  honor  and  fidelity  to  duty. 
During  the  evening,  while  lying  in  Hinchman's  inn,  and 
in  great  torture  from  his  wounds,  he  was  visited  by  Miss 
Cebra,  at  whose  house  he  had  probably  lodged,  and  on 
her  entrance  said  :  "  Madam,  I  understand  you  are  Mrs. 
Robinson's  sister,"  and,  with  his  sound  hand  drawing  a 
silver  spoon  from  his  pocket,  he  said :  "  Take  this.  Ma- 
dam, and  hand  it  back  to  Mrs.  Robinson.    She  gave  it  to 
me  some  time  ago,  when  I  was  about  to  take  the  field ; 
*  For,'  she  said,  '  I  suppose  you  will  not  always  have  con- 
veniences for  eating  when  in  camp.'"    Miss  Cebra  care- 
fully preserved  the  General's  hat,  and  for  several  years  it 
was  kept  by  his  family  as  an  evidence  of  the  fierce  blows 
which  were  inflicted  upon  him.     His  shirt  sleeve  was 
observed  by  the  lady  to  be  cut  through  in  seven  places. 
After  such  of  the  villagers  as  were  permitted  to  see 
him  had  retired,  he  said  to  Mrs.  Hinchman,  "  Don't  leave 
me  all  night  with  these  men ;  "  to  which  the  hostess 
replied,  "You  need  not  be  uneasy  about  that.  General; 
I  shall  not  sleep  this  night."    At  some  time  during  the 
night,  or  upon  the  next  morning,  he  was  removed  to  the 
old  Presbyterian  Stone  Church,  and  confined  there,  with 
many  other  whigs  who  had  been  dragged  from  their 
homes. 

On  the  twenty-ninth.  Gen.  Woodhull,  in  company  with 
the  rest  of  the  Jamaica  prisoners,  was  removed  to  the  New 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE.  307 

Utrecht  church,  which,  bemg  a  Dutch  Presbyterian  house 
of  worship,  was  unceremoniously  used  as  a  prison.  The 
inhumanity  of  his  captors  was  carried  to  an  extraordinary 
extent  in  his  removal;  for  at  first  they  insisted  upon 
his  walking  to  'New  Utrecht,  with  the  other  prisoners. 
"Whitehead  Hicks,  a  well-known  gentleman  of  Jamaica, 
had  previously  offered  the  use  of  his  carriage  for  the  con- 
veyance of  the  wounded  General;  but  the  kind  ofi:er  was 
rejected,  incredible  as  it  may  seem,  by  Sir  William  Ers- 
kine,  then  in  command.  Another  prisoner,  Daniel  Lam- 
berson  of  Jamaica,  having  been  found  too  ill  to  walk,  the 
officers  compelled  him  to  take  his  own  vehicle,  called  a 
chair,  and  the  General  was  permitted  to  be  conveyed  in  it. 

Mr.  Onderdonk,  who  has  been  indefatigable  in  collecting 
the  incidents  of  Woodhull's  capture  and  death,  is  of  the 
opinion  that  the  General  and  the  other  prisoners  were  first 
taken  to  Howe's  headquarters  in  Brooklyn,  for  registration, 
and  adds:  "  We  know  nothing  of  the  place  or  manner  of 
his  confinement,  until  about  a  fortnight  after,  when  he  was 
brought  on  board  a  prison-ship  at  N"ew  Utrecht."  Among 
those  who  were  confined  with  him  was  the  saintly  Elder 
Baylis,  whose  blindness  seemed  to  have  intensified  his 
patriotism  and  piety.  His  voice  possessed  an  almost  un- 
earthly sweetness,  and  he  often  sang  in  his  imprisonment, 
with  the  fervor  of  a  martyr,  the  old  songs  of  faith  and 
triumph,  which  he  knew  so  well.  The  dying  General  must 
have  heard  these  strains  of  victory  over  the  pangs  of 
human  torture,  and  echoed  back  in  his  soul,  accustomed 
to  be  conqueror  in  such  trials,  all  their  peans  of  triumph. 
That  he  was  communing  with  his  Maker,  in  whose  pre- 
sence he  had  no  dread  of  appearing,  we  can  have  no 


308  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

rational  doubt.  Judge  Jones  says  somewhat  scoffingly  of 
him,  in  his  manuscript  history  of  the  war,  "  Woodhull  was 
a  rigid  Presbyterian." 

The  frequent  change  of  disposition  of  their  prisoners  by 
the  British  at  this  time,  indicates  the  uncertainty  with 
which  they  viewed  their  possession  of  the  country  they  had 
conquered ;  for  in  a  day  or  two  an  old  transport  ship,  named 
the  Pacific,  dropped  down  to  Gravesend,  and  all  the  pri- 
soners from  ^^^ew  Utrecht  and  Flatbush  were  placed  on 
board  of  her. 

The  horrors  of  the  prison-ships,  a  species  of  awful  cru- 
elty which  Spanish  inquisition  never  invented,  were  here 
first  inaugurated.  On  board  the  Pacific,  officers  and 
men  were  crowded  so  densely  together,  that  not  all  could 
sleep  at  the  same  time ;  which  inconvenience,  shared  alike 
by  the  wounded  and  the  whole,  together  with  the  almost 
total  deprivation  of  food,  seemed  to  warrant  the  suspicion 
that  the  British  officers,  unwilling  to  endure  the  odium  of 
putting  them  to  death  by  the  sword,  had  determined  to 
efiect  their  destruction  by  the  more  silent  instrument  of 
starvation. 

Two  days  of  this  horrible  torture,  the  spectacle  of  which 
was  too  painful  for  even  the  inhumanity  of  the  officer  in 
command,  were  endured ;  and  on  the  2d  of  September,  a 
vessel,  described  by  one  of  the  prisoners  as  the  Snow  Men- 
tor, was  brought  alongside,  and  the  officers  transferred  to 
her,  apparently  as  a  measure  of  humanity. 

It  is  painful  for  us  to  be  compelled  to  believe,  from  the 
overwhelming  evidence  before  us,  that  this  mean  craft  was 
selected  for  a  prison  with  the  most  malignant  intelligence. 
The  vessel  had  been  used  for  the  transportation  of  cattle 


INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 


309 


from  England,  and  was,  of  course,  filthy  as  a  stable,  with 
their  ordure ;  although  the  relief  from  the  horrors  of  the 
prison  ship  Pacific  was  so  great  as  to  be  spoken  of  with 
gratitude.  The  wounded  and  now  dying  General  was  laid 
on  the  floor  of  the  foul  cabin ;  and,  but  for  the  kindness  of 
a  subordinate  officer,  who,  shocked  at  the  infliction  of 
all  this  needless  suffering,  presented  him  with  his  blanket, 
he  would  have  been  stretched  upon  the  bare  planks  almost 
naked.  The  officers  who  accompanied  him  could  assist 
him  but  little,  for  many  of  them  had  been  stripped  of  all 
their  upper  clothing  by  their  Hessian  captors.  We  have 
the  evidence  of  his  condition,  and  of  the  inhumanity  of  his 
captors  and  jailors,  from  the  testimony  of  several  officers 
who  were  his  companions  on  the  Snow.  One  of  these 
officers  was  Lieut.  Robert  Troop,  of  Col.  Lasher's  battalion 
of  New  York  Militia ;  a  gentleman  whose  subsequent 
bravery  in  the  service  raised  him  to  the  rank  of  Colonel, 
and  whose  character,  through  his  whole  life,  entitled  his 
statements  to  the  most  implicit  credence.^  Soon  after 
his  release,  he  made,  under  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  a  de- 
tailed narration  of  the  horrors  of  the  imprisonment  on 
board  of  the  Mentor,  which  were  almost  too  frightful  for 
contemplation. 

The  combined  horrors  of  mutilation,  exposure,  starva- 
tion, and  imprisonment  in  the  loathsome  cattle  ship,  had 
now  accomplished  their  work. 

It  became  evident  to  even  the  most  indifierent  of  the 
heartless  wretches  who  surrounded  him  that  the  General 

^  Colonel  Troop  was  in  after  life  the  personal  friend  and  political  associate 
of  Jay  and  Hamilton,  and  of  stainless  honor.  Sabine's  Loyalists,  p.  367. 
See  Document  38. 


310  INTRODUCTORY  NARRATIVE. 

was  dying ;  and,  in  a  momentary  impulse  of  humanity,  or 
from  wholesome  dread  of  reprisals  in  kind  from  the  rebels, 
he  was  removed  to  a  house  adjacent  to  the  H^ew  Utrecht 
church,  where,  on  the  twentieth  of  September,  after  the 
amputation  of  his  wounded  arm,  he  expired. 

Yet  even  while  his  eyes,  glazed  with  the  chill  of  death, 
were  closing  on  all  earthly  scenes,  the  spectacle  of  his 
countrymen,  suffering  from  starvation  and  wounds,  rose 
before  his  vision. 

"With  his  dying  breath  he  briefly  greeted  his  beloved 
wife,  who  had  just  arrived,  and  immediately  directed  that 
the  wants  of  the  American  prisoners,  then  almost  perishing 
from  starvation,  should  be  supplied  from  the  provisions 
brought  from  his  own  farm.  With  these  noble  words  of 
self-forgetfulness  on  his  lips,  the  spirit  of  Nathaniel  Wood- 
hull  passed  away. 


FINIS. 


DOCUMENTS 

KELATING  TO  THE 
ON 

LONG  ISLAND. 


DOCUMENTS 


[  No.  1.  ] 

B.  G,  the  Earl  of  Stirling  to  Colonel  Ward, 

"  Head  Quarters,  New  York,  March  8^^,  1776. 

"  Dear  Sir, — I  write  this  letter  to  you  in  the  utmost 
confidence  of  secrecy,  and  therefore,  no  man  but  yourself 
is  to  see  it.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  prevent  the 
communication  between  the  ship  Phenix,  which  lies  off 
the  west  end  of  Long  Island,  below  the  E'arrows,  and  the 
people  of  that  part  of  Long  Island ;  but  more  especially 
to  take  or  destroy  a  certain  Frank  James,  a  pilot  who  now 
assists  Captain  Parker,  who  commands  the  Phenix,  in 
decoying  and  taking  vessels  of  great  importance  to  the 
cause  we  are  now  engaged  in.  There  are  some  other 
pilots  serving  Captain  P.  in  the  same  way,  whose  names 
I  am  not  informed  of,  but  they  are  well  known  to  Mr. 
Christopher  Duyckinck,  who  with  three  or  four  other 
guides  will  attend  you  for  the  purposes  hereinafter  men- 
tioned. 

"  You  will  pick  out  of  your  regiment  two  of  the  most 
alert  officers,  with  two  parties  of  about  twenty  men  each, 
to  be  supplied  with  twenty  rounds  of  ammunition  and 
three  days'  provisions  ready  dressed,  who,  with  these 
guides  are  to  proceed  to  the  places  they  will  show  them, — 
conceal  themselves  as  much  as  possible  from  the  people  of 
the  country, — take  such  stations  as  are  most  proper  for 
40 


314 


DOCUMENTS. 


securing  or  destroying  such  pilots,  or  any  persons  belong- 
ing to  the  man-of-war.  It  will  be  best  that  the  two 
parties  march  from  your  quarters  to-morrow  evening,  a 
little  before  moon-rising,  so  that  the  men  may  arrive  at 
their  stations  before  daylight;  and  it  vsdll  be  absolutely 
necessary  that  the  officer  of  each  party  consult  with,  and 
put  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  guides  assigned  to  them. 
When  the  parties  have  taken  their  stations,  they  should, 
if  possible,  without  firing,  or  by  any  means  alarming  the 
man-of-war,  or  the  country,  prevent  any  boats  from  leav- 
ing the  shore ;  and  the  shortest  way  to  effect  this,  will  be 
for  single  men,  about  daylight,  to  examine  the  shore,  and 
with  their  hatchets  cut  a  hole  or  two  in  the  bottoms  of  all 
the  small  boats  they  find  there,  and  to  remove  to  some 
secret  place  the  oars,  paddles,  or  sails. 

"  You  will  see  the  necessity  of  this  matter  being  con- 
ducted with  secrecy  and  alertness ;  and  I  doubt  not  you 
will  choose  your  men  accordingly. 

"lam,  &c." 

[Diier's  Life  of  Lord  Stirling,  p.  135.] 


.  [  1^0.  2.  ] 

Letter  of  Gov.  Try  on  to  Lord  George  Germain,  guaranteeing 
the  loyalty  of  the  inhabitants  of  Long  Island. 

[The  true  sentiments  of  the  inhabitants  were  clearly 
indicated  by  the  widely  different  effect  of  the  summons  to 
arms  by  the  Provincial  Congress  and  that  issued  by  the 
Royal  Governor  a  few  weeks  after  the  battle  of  the  27th.] 

My  Lord  :  On  the  10th  instant  I  reviewed  the  Militia 
of  Queen's  County,  at  Hampstead,  when  eight  hundred  and 
twenty  men  were  mustered ;  and  on  Thursday  following, 
I  saw  the  Suffolk  Militia  at  Brockhaven,  where  near  eight 


DOCUMENTS. 


315 


hundred  men  appeared,  to  all  of  whom,  as  well  as  to  the 
Militia  of  Queen's  County,  I  had  in  my  presence  an  oath 
of  allegiance  and  fidelity  administered,  the  form  of  which 
is  herewith  transmitted. 

I  took  much  pains  in  explaining  to  the  people  (having 
formed  them  into  circles)  the  iniquitous  arts,  etc.,  that 
had  been  practised  on  their  credulity,  to  seduce  and  mis- 
lead them ;  and  I  had  the  satisfaction  to  observe  among 
them  a  general  return  of  confidence  in  Government.  A 
very  large  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  Queen's  County 
have  indeed  steadfastly  maintained  their  royal  principles, 
as  have  small  districts  in  Suffolk  County.  Some  men  from 
South  and  Easthampton  townships,  who  attended  the  review, 
assured  me.  Rebel  parties  from  Connecticut  were  then  on 
the  eastermost  part  of  the  island,  and  which  prevented  in 
general  the  settlers  in  that  quarter  from  attending  my 
summons ;  but  that  they  are  very  desirous  to  live  under 
a  peaceable  obedience  to  his  Majesty's  authority.  The 
enclosed  letter  from  their  Presbyterian  minister  will  more 
fully  explain  their  sentiments. 

Three  companies,  I  learned,  had  been  raised  out  of 
Suffolk  County  for  the  Rebel  army ;  most  of  whom,  I  was 
made  to  understand,  would  quit  that  service,  if  they  could 
get  home. 

I  have  the  pleasure  to  assure  your  Lordship,  through 
the  whole  of  this  tour  I  did  not  hear  the  least  murmur  of 
discontent,  but  a  general  satisfaction  expressed  at  my 
coming  among  them;  and  to  judge  from  the  temper  and 
disposition  I  perceived  in  them,  there  is  not  the  least 
apprehension  of  any  further  commotions  from  the  inhab- 
itants on  Long-Island ;  all  are  industrious  in  bringing  to 
market  what  provisions  the  island  atfords. 

While  on  Long-Island,  I  gave  certificates  to  near  three 
hundred  men,  who  signed  the  Declaration  prescribed  by 


316  DOCUMENTS. 

the  King's  Commissioners'  Proclamation  of  the  30th  No- 
vember last.  Large  bodies  of  the  people  have  already- 
taken  the  benefit  of  the  grace  therein  offered  them. 

[Force's  Am.  Archives,  vol.  iii,  1776,  folio  1404.] 


[  Fo.  3.  ] 

General  Greene  to  General  Washington. 

[Col.  Edmund  Fanning  enlisted  the  greater  part  of  his 
corps  from  Long  Island  of  which  he  was  a  native.  His 
infamous  career  of  debauchery  and  extortion  in  ^^"orth 
Carolina,  and  the  terrible  punishments  inflicted  upon  him 
by  an  outraged  people,  form  a  chapter  of  no  small  interest 
in  its  history.  The  character  of  the  loyalist  recruits,  as 
given  by  Gen.  Greene,  was  not  such  as  to  make  them 
greatly  feared.  While  in  command  on  Long  Island,  the 
General  writes  respecting  some  of  its  tories  who  had  been 
arrested :] 

Saturday,  twelve  o'clock,  July  27,  1776. 

Dear  Sir  :  I  have  examined  the  prisoners,  and  find 
them  to  be  a  parcel  of  poor,  ignorant,  cowardly  fellows. 
Two  are  tailors,  and  the  other  two  are  common  labourers.. 
They  candidly  confess  they  set  off  with  an  intention  of 
going  to  Siaten- Island,  but  not  with  any  intention  of  join- 
ing the  enemy,  but  to  get  out  of  the  way  of  fighting  here. 
I  believe  the  true  reasons  of  their  attempting  to  make 
their  escape  were,  there  has  been  a  draught  amongst  the 
Militia  to  fill  the  new  levies,  and  it  was  rumored  these 
were  a  part  that  were  drawn.  It  was  also  reported  they 
were  to  go  into  the  JsTorthern  Army,  and  that  almost  all 
that  went  there  died,  or  were  killed.  The  prospect  was 
so  shocking  to  them  and  to  their  grandmothers  and  aunts, 


DOCUMENTS. 


317 


I  believe  they  persuaded  them  to  run  away.  ITever  did 
I  see  fellows  more  frightened;  they  wept  like  a  parcel 
of  children,  and  appear  exceedingly  sorrowful.  ...  I 
beg  your  Excellency's  direction  how  to  dispose  of  them ; 
they  don't  appear  to  be  acquainted  with  one  publick 
matter;  they  have  been  Toryish,  but  I  fancy  not  from 
principle,  but  from  its  being  the  prevailing  sentiment  of 
the  County.  .  .  . 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  your  obedient  servant, 

l^ATH.  Greene. 

[Force,  Archives,  5th  series,  vol.  i,  pp.  621,  622.] 


Letter  from  Benjamin  Sands,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of 
Safety  for  Great  Neck,  to  the  Provincial  Congress  of  New 
York,  in  reply  to  the  circular  soliciting  evidence  against  nine- 
teen residents  of  Queens  County,  carried  prisoners  to  Phila- 
delphia, and  sent  hack  to  New  York  for  trial. 

District  of  Grreat  Neck,  Cow  Neck,  &c., 
March  9,  76. 

Sir  :  The  committee  have  received  a  letter  from  your 
honorable  body,  of  the  15th  of  February,  and  as  far  as  lay 
in  their  power,  complied  with  its  contents. 

''But  surely  [you  will  say]  you  could  have  collected 
more  proof  than  all  this  ? "  The  answer  is  ready.  Their 
meetings  were  confined  to  their  own  party,  their  conclu- 
sions kept  as  secret  as  possible,  added  to  our  living  in  a 
remote  part  of  the  county,  rendered  our  abilities  unequal 
to  the  task. 

We  are,  however,  able  to  give  an  imperfect  account  of 
our  own  district,  wherein  lives  but  one  of  the  proscribed. 
And  as  this  great  man  has  been  supposed  by  many  the 
main-spring  in  keeping  up  the  divisions  in  this  county,  it 


318 


DOCUMENTS. 


may  be  a  sufficient  excuse  for  our  being  tedious  on  tins 
head. 

We  shall  therefore,  with  the  utmost  humility,  proceed 
to  put  our  scattered  materials  in  order,  for  the  considera- 
tion of  your  honorable  body. 

Soon  after  this  gentleman  left  the  General  Assembly, 
he  appears  in  the  light  of  a  disperser  of  the  "Queens 
County  Freeholder."^  The  design  of  this  paper  is  glaring 
on  its  whole  surface. 

He  next  appears  the  author  of  the  Hempstead  resolves  ;2 
and  as  the  Queens  County  Freeholder  levelled  its  whole 
force  at  the  very  essence  of  a  Continental  Congress,  so 
these  resolves  struck  at  the  total  overthrow  of  Provincial 
ones. 

Soon  after  the  Battle  of  Lexington,  this  gentleman 
roundly  avows  that  the  Bostonians  fired  first  on  the  King's 
troops,^  and  that  more  of  the  Bostonians  were  killed  than 
of  the  Regulars ;  but  as  the  public  prints  gave  the  lie  to 
this  proposition,  it  became  necessary  to  erect  a  new 
battery. 

Hence  he  asserts  the  newspapers  are  lies.^  He  had,  he 
said,  private  information  that  might  be  depended  upon. 
But  this  having  no  other  foundation  than  his  own  asser- 
tions, the  means  were  unequal  to  the  end.  Here,  with  an 
air  of  importance  equal  to  its  absurdity,  [he]  asserts, 
"  Capt.  McDougal  says  '  it  is  necessary  to  print  untruths' 
to  keep  up  the  spirits  of  the  people,^  and  Capt.  St.  Thorne 
[says  he]  is  my  author,  who  heard  him  say  so." 

The  populace  took  fire  like  hasty  combustibles,  and 
although  Capt.  Thorne  denied  the  essential  part  of  the 
charge,  yet  it  was  impossible  fully  to  prevent  its  effects. 

Soon  after  the  order  of  the  respectable  committee  of 
safety  for  collecting  some  arms  in  Queens  county  (see  36), 
this  gentleman  attacks  the  right,  and  openly^  declared 
that  they  were  an  unconstitutional  body,  who  had  no  legal 


DOCUMENTS. 


319 


existence,  and  that  he  was  determined  to  resist  the  order ; 
but  had  it  been  the  Continental  Congress  [he  said]  he 
would  have  submitted  publicly,  for  he  did  not  deny  their 
authority,  but  spoke  respectfully  of  them. 

"  But  what  [said  he]  is  to  be  done  for  our  friends  in 
Boston — the  friends  to  order  and  good  government  —  and 
loyal  soldiery,  that  are  supporting  the  rights  of  the  States 
and  the  very  being  of  the  constitution,  who  are  starving 
by  means  of  a  restrictory  Act?"  "Why,  this,"  says  he, 
« I'll  do—" 

"Til  charter  Capt.  Thome's  sloop ^  and  send  them 
provisions,"  notwithstanding  an  order  of  the  honorable 
Congress  to  the  contrary. 

Mark  the  gradual  steps  of  this  gentleman  to  something 
of  more  alarming  dye :  for  things  were  no  sooner  ripe, 
than  he  attacks  the  honorable  Continental  Congress  itself; 
hence ^  he  has  openly  asserted  he  knew  no  such  s[elf  con- 
stituted aujthority,  and  declared  they  were  in  c[onse- 
quence  unconstituti]  onal. 

I^ot  content  with  dispersing  a  scandalous  libel ;  fabri- 
cating seditious  resolves;  declaring  our  bleeding  friends 
in  Boston  the  aggressors;  alarming  opposition  by  our 
great  loss ;  discountenancing  our  public  prints ;  defaming 
our  respectable  committee  of  safety;  denying  the  authority 
of  our  honorable  Continental  Congress ;  but  [he]  begins 
an  open  attack  on  our  grand  resource,  the  continental 
currency,  also. 

Hence  he  asserts,  "I  take  no  continental  currency^ 
unless  for  a  bad  debt : "  and  getting  one  of  these  bills  on 
this  ground,  expressed  his  uneasiness  to  pay  it  away  as 
soon  as  possible.  "  But  we  see  [you'll  say]  no  accounts  of 
the  formation  of  committees  who  protested  against  your 
spring  and  fall  county  meetings  for  deputies.  We  see  no 
proof  of  the  meeting  previous  to  their  getting  powder  from 
the  Asia,  nor  any  of  the  proscribed  being  concerned  in 


320 


DOCUMENTS. 


that  affair."  Very  true;  for  this  proof  is  not  in  our 
power.  "Why,  you  might  have  cited  some  of  their 
second  rate  leaders,  and  by  that  means  got  proof  to  your 
satisfaction."  What  effects  the  solemnity  of  your  honor- 
able body  might  have  on  them,  we  do  not  pretend  to 
determine ;  but  we  have  tried  the  experiment  in  our  own 
little  sphere,  and  found  it  entirely  in  vain.  We  fear  you 
are  tired  through  this  long  detail. 

So  con  [scious  of  the  importance  of  the  subject,  we  are] 
determined  to  persevere  [in  the  discharge  of  our  duties.] 

We  are,  sir. 

Your  very  humble  servants. 
Signed  by  order, 

Benj.  Sands,  Chairman. 

'  Witness  —  Dan'l  Whiteliead  Kissam,  of  Cow  Neck. 

^  Witness  —  Jolin  Burtis,  tanner,  of  Cow  Neck. 

'  Witness  —  Henry  Stocker,  Capt.  Richard  Thome,  of  Great  Neck. 

*  Witness  —  Obadiah  Demilt,  of  Cow  Neck. 

*  Witness  —  Ann  Rapelje,  of  Cow  Neck. 
"  Witness  —  John  Burtis,  tanner. 

'  Witness  —  Caleb  Cornwell,  Cow  Neck. 

"  Witness  —  Rich'd  Thome,  Capt.  Tliomas  Williams,  North  Side. 

'  Witness  —  Henry  Stocker,  Great  Neck ;  Thomas  Williams,  North  Side. 

[Onderdonk's  Rewlutionary  Incidents  of  Queens  Co.,  p.  48.] 


P.S.  We  have  cited  ,  Esq.,  an  inactive  Whig, 

for  interrogation,  who  evaded  attendance  on  pretence  of 
business.  We  suspect  him  too  good  an  evidence  to  escape 
your  notice,  as  well  as  to  convince  him  that  all  business 
must  bend  to  the  preservation  of  his  country. 

To  Col.  Nath'l  Woodhull, 

President  of  the  Hon.  Provincial  Congress. 


DOCUMENTS. 


321 


[  No.  4.  ] 

[On  the  21st  of  May,  Washington,  then  about  to  proceed 
to  Philadelphia,  addressed  a  letter  of  instructions  to  Gen. 
Putnam  regarding  the  loyalists  on  Long  Island,  which 
evinces  his  anxiety.] 

Instructions. 

To  Maj.  General  Putnam, 

Sir  :  I  have  reason  to  believe,  that  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress of  this  colony  [ITew  York]  have  in  contemplation  a 
scheme  for  seizing  the  principal  Tories  and  disaffected 
persons  on  Long  Island,  in  this  city,  and  the  country 
round  about ;  and  that,  to  carry  the  scheme  into  execution, 
they  will  have  recourse  to  the  military  power  for  assistance. 
K  this  should  be  the  case,  you  are  hereby  required  during 
my  absence  to  afford  every  aid,  which  the  said  Congress, 
or  their  Secret  Committee  shall  apply  for.  I  need  not 
recommend  secrecy  to  you,  as  the  success  you  must  be 
assured,  will  depend  absolutely  upon  precaution,  and  the 
despatch  with  which  the  measure,  when  once  adopted, 
shall  be  executed. 

General  Greene  will,  though  not  in  person  perhaps, 
have  a  principal  share  in  ordering  the  detachments  from 
his  brigade  on  Long  Island ;  of  course  he  will  be  a  proper 
person  to  be  let  into  the  whole  plan.  I  would,  therefore, 
when  application  is  made  by  Congress,  have  you  and  him 
concert  measures  with  such  gentlemen,  as  that  body  shall 
please  to  appoint,  and  order  the  execution  with  as  much 
secrecy  and  despatch  as  possible,  and  at  the  same  time 
with  the  utmost  decency  and  good  order.  Given  under 
41 


322  DOCUMENTS. 

my  hand  at  Head-Quarters,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  this 
21st  day  of  May,  1776. 

[parka's  Letters  of  Washington,  vol.  iii,  p.  397.] 


[  IsTo.  5.  ] 

Letter  from  Benjamin  Birdsall,  at  New  Haven. 

New  Haven,  Nov.  25th,  1776. 

Gentlemen  —  I  think  myself  bound  in  duty  to  let  you 
know  the  several  transactions  past,  and  the  present  unhappy 
situation  I  am  now  laboring  under  in  the  unnatural  contest 
between  Great  Britain  and  America.  In  the  first  of  the 
disputes,  for  a  just  cause,  I  took  the  part  of  America,  and 
continued  it  for  a  long  time,  through  many  dangerous  and 
difiicult  contests,  against  my  friends,  relations  and  almost 
all  sects  and  ranks  of  denominations,  in  particular  in  my 
own  county.  I  was  appointed  one  of  the  county  com- 
mittee, and  from  that  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  second 
battalion  in  our  county ;  and  while  in  the  service  of  the 
committee,  it  took  nearly  all  my  time  in  service  with 
the  committee  and  attending  the  different  companies, 
with  many  adjournments  to  choose  their  officers  for  the 
militia,  I  being  appointed  as  a  sub-committee  for  that 
purpose,  and  continued  it  until  the  whole  districts  were 
divided  and  the  officers  chosen ;  and  was,  by  the  request 
of  the  inhabitants,  8  or  10  days  with  a  petition  from  the 
inhabitants  to  the  Convention  at  the  White  Plains,  con- 
cerning the  removing  the  stock  from  the  island.  In 
all  which  time  I  bore  my  own  expenses  and  received 
nothing  for  any  of  the  service.  And  as  for  the  service  of 
a  colonel  —  myself  and  two  more  officers  were  appointed 
and  ordered  by  the  county  committee  to  secure  all  the 


DOCUMENTS. 


323 


boats  on  the  south  side,  from  Rockaway  to  Huntingtown 
line,  which  is  18  miles  distance ;  7  miles  distance  I  col- 
lected all  the  boats  together  and  secured  them  by  a  sentry, 
106  in  number;  and  if  the  other  11  miles  distance  had 
been  as  well  secured,  by  collecting  the  boats  together  and 
a  guard  kept  over  them,  it  would  have  cut  off  the  com- 
munication between  our  south  and  the  man  of  war,  and 
saved  100  and  odd  hay  boats  that  the  tories  carried  off  to 
the  Ministerial  fleet  and  sold  them  for  their  service.  Well, 
when  the  quarter  draft  from  the  militia  upon  Long  island 
was  made  out,  Suffolk  county  had  the  commanding  officer 
of  the  regiment.  Colonel  Smith,  in  his  full  rank  with  full 
pay.    E'ow,  if  I  know  anything  about  the  arrangement  of 
officers,  the  next  in  command  ought  to  have  been  a  lieu- 
tenant-colonel out  of  one  of  the  3  regiments  of  Kings 
County,  or  the  1st  or  2d  in  Queens ;  but  the  1st,  Colonel 
John  Sands,  was  appointed,  and  must  take  the  rank  and 
pay  of  lieutenant-colonel,  and  the  2nd  major  of  Colonel 
Rampson's  regiment,  in  his  full  rank  and  pay,  and  Ben- 
jamin Birdsall,  a  Lieutenant-colonel,  to  take  rank  and 
pay  with  the  captains,  under  command  of  a  2d  major. 
The  arrangement  of  the  officers  in  Colonel  Smith's  regi- 
ment appears  to  me  as  remarkable  almost  as  the  conduct 
was  bad  in  the  field  officers  in  breaking  up  the  regiment 
in  the  manner  which  they  did.     This  appointment  of 
Colonel  Smith's  regiment  was  noticed  by  some  certain 
field  officers  who  had  been  up  to  Hamp stead,  and  being 
acquainted  with  me,  I  was  fixed  upon,  some  few  days 
before  the  King's  troops  landed  upon  Long  island,  to  go 
through  with  a  number  of  men  on  the  south  side  from 
Rockaway  to  Huntingtown,  18  miles  distance,  to  destroy 
or  secure  all  the  boats  and  bring  in  all  the  fat  cattle  in  the 
lines  to  General  Greene,  and  after,  in  his  absence.  General 
Sullivan;  which  I  executed  without  favor  or  affection  (and 
among  my  neighbors  and  relations),  until  the  King's 


324 


DOCUMENTS. 


troops  landed  upon  Long  island ;  and  then  I  was  obliged 
to  press  6  wagons  and  12  horses,  among  my  nearest 
neighbors,  to  carry  down  the  baggage  of  about  200  of  our 
troops,  who  were  sent  for  by  express  by  General  Sullivan 
to  march  within  the  lines ;  and  as  soon  as  we  got  within 
the  lines,  I  was  sent  by  General  Sullivan  immediately  up 
about  30  miles  with  a  small  party  of  men,  after  70  odd  fat 
cattle  that  we  had  left  collected  together;  I  went,  and 
brought  the  cattle  safely  in  around  the  north  side  of  the 
island,  Monday  night,  and  Tuesday  morning,  before  day, 
the  engagement  began,  when  I  took  my  post  upon  the 
lines,  and  continued  till  Thursday  afternoon ;  and  Friday 
morning,  sun  about  an  Jiour  high,  by  General  Putnam's 
orders,  I  went  over  to  Long  island  with  6  boats,  to  fetch 
a  number  of  horses  and  other  things,  until  the  regulars 
came  down,  fired  four  shot  upon  2  of  the  boats,  a  little 
behind ;  and  from  that  I  brought  up  the  rear  of  Colonel 
Smith's  regiment,  (sick  men  from  'New  York,  without 
money,)  who  would  have  been  left  had  it  not  been  for  me ; 
which  I  hope  may  be  made  manifest  in  your  presence,  the 
3  field  officers  and  myself  face  to  face  before  you,  which 
may  right  many  other  transactions,  that  ought  not  to  be 
left  in  darkness.  I  am  now  joined  in  Colonel  Living- 
ston's regiment,  where  are  about  68  of  Colonel  Smith's 
men.  I  have  left  a  wife  and  6  children  upon  Long  island, 
and  all  I  have  is  under  the  command  of  the  King's  troops; 
it  is  not  in  my  power  to  relieve  them.  I  set  out,  with 
heart  and  hand,  to  risk  my  life  in  defence  of  our  cause, 
and  am  still  willing  to  do  it;  the  continuance  of  the  war 
is  promising  so  fair,  that  I  will  now  ofter  myself  at  your 
service  to  engage  in  it  so  long  as  the  war  may  continue ; 
place  me  in  my  rank,  give  me  a  chance  to  execute  my 
conduct,  and  I  doubt  not  but  it  may  be  said,  there  is  one 
man  upon  Long  island,  and  in  Queens  county,  has  taken 
up  the  cause  of  his  country  from  the  first,  and  has  con- 


DOCUMENTS. 


325 


tinned  in  it  firm  and  steadfast  to  the  last,  for  the  support 
and  protection  of  his  family  and  to  the  honour  and  welfare 
of  his  country.  I  have  taken  up  considerable  time,  though 
with  pleasure ;  I  cannot  satisfy  myself  in  letting  you  know 
enough.  I  have  this  to  consider  —  I  am  here  upon  the 
main  shore,  and  at  present  at  a  loss ;  am  I  under  pay  that 
will  support  me,  or  am  I  not  ?  If  I  am  not  under  pay,  it 
is  time  for  me  to  look  out;  well,  I  must  go  to  work  to 
provide  my  victuals  and  clothes ;  well,  I  shall  labor  dis- 
contented ;  work  every  day  for  low  wages ;  my  family  is 
near  to  me;  I  am  afraid  they  fare  bad;  a  wife  and 
children  are  hard  to  part  with ;  well,  I  attempt  to  go  to 
see  them;  I  am  taken  up,  confined  and  perhaps  sent 
away  or  massacred ;  well,  what  station  of  life  am  I  in  ?  if 
I  am  engaged  in  the  cause,  my  mind  is  fixed;  I  know 
what  I  have  to  do,  and  I  know  my  subsistence ;  I  am  con- 
tent ;  my  mind  is  bent  to  promote  the  cause  wherein  I  am 
engaged.  But  if  a  man's  income  is  extraordinary  high,  or 
too  low  to  moderately  maintain  him,  it  will  too  much  draw 
bis  mind  and  attention  from  the  business  he  is  engaged  in. 

I  have  wrote  a  long  translation,  which  I  make  bold 
should  come  to  your  knowledge.  I  write  but  seldom; 
excuse  me  if  I  have  in  any  part  occasioned  any  insult 
upon  your  Honours;  it  is  not  what  I  mean  to  do;  but 
you  are  the  guardians  of  our  rights,  and  to  you  alone,  I 
have  to  make  my  address.  I  wish  you  well,  and  that  a 
perfect  union  amongst  you  may  be  and  continue  to  the 
honour  and  welfare  of  America,  and  that  you  may  appoint 
such  men  in  our  State,  to  lead  and  command,  who  will 
ever  dispute  and  defend  the  American  ground,  inch  by 
inch,  over  and  over  again,  until  a  final  defensive  war  may 
end,  and  remain  to  us  all  well,  and  for  evermore  continue. 

From  your  humble  servant, 

Benjamin  Birdsall. 
To  the  Honourable  Convention  of  the  State  of  IsTew  York. 

{Journal  of  the  New  York  Provincial  Congress,  vol.  ii,  p.  334.] 


326 


DOCUMENTS. 


[  No.  6.  ] 

[Even  the  whig  descendants  of  the  Puritans  of  Suffolk 
county  were  vexed  by  the  persistent  loyalty  of  many  of 
their  neighbors,  as  appears  from  several  letters  of  com- 
plaint to  Congress.    One  of  these  is  as  follows :] 

A  letter  from  Wm.  Smith,  Esq.,  Suffolk  county,  informing  that 
tories  go  from  that  quarter  to  the  ships  of  war,  with  water, 
oysters  and  clams. 

Man.  St.  George's,  May  25th,  1776. 

Gentlemen  —  The  committee  of  Brookhaven,  manor  of 
St.  George,  and  patent  ship  of  Meritches,  met  the  23d 
instant.  A  number  of  evidences  being  sworn,  it  appeared 
manifest  to  the  meeting  that  there  was  a  communication 
from  Winthrop's  patent  and  the  ships  of  war  lying  at  the 
Hook.  It  appeared  also,  one  Gyer,  a  skipper,  had  carried 
off  a  number  of  men,  eight  or  ten,  last  Saturday  night,  the 
most  of  them  from  Connecticut  or  Westchester,  who  had 
been  skulking  in  the  woods  a  considerable  time  before  they 
went  off.  There  is  missing  from  that  patent  at  least  three 
or  four  persons  who  are  supposed  to  be  gone  with  them, 
in  particular  one  Fountain,  a  gunsmith.  Gyer  has  been 
several  trips  out  at  the  inlet,  and  when  returned  gave  no 
satisfactory  account  to  those  who  asked  him  where  he  had 
been ;  and  it  is  thought  he  has  carried  people  to  the  man 
of  war  before,  as  people  has  come  from  the  main  shore  to 
Stonybrook,  and  then  gone  through  the  woods  to  Win- 
throp's patent.  Men  have  been  seen  with  arms  who  were 
unknown  to  the  inhabitants,  and  has  given  so  great  unea- 
siness to  the  people,  that  they  have  called  on  the  minute 
men  and  militia  for  assistance.  There  has  been  15  minute 
men  stationed  there  since  last  Monday.    It  is  suspected 


DOCUMENTS. 


327 


besides  men,  they  get  from  that  quarter  water,  oysters  and 
clams,  which  are  there  in  the  greatest  plenty.  As  the 
minute-men  are  such  persons  who  are  a  carrying  on  busi- 
ness in  the  farming  way,  and  cannot  leave  home  without 
almost,  if  not  quite  ruining  themselves  and  families,  I  was 
ordered  by  a  letter  to  lay  the  affair  before  the  Congress, 
not  doubting,  if  they  thought  proper  they  would  report 
the  same  to  the  Commander-in-Chief ;  it  was  thought  by 
the  Committee  that  a  small  armed  vessel,  stationed  at  or 
near  the  inlet  (where  the  sounding  is,  as  I  am  informed 
from  8  to  12  feet),  would  answer  the  purpose  best.  People 
in  these  parts  are  much  alarmed,  especially  since  we  now 
know  that  they  have  on  board  the  men  of  war,  those  who 
are  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  navigation  of  the 
South  bay.  Pray  let  us  hear  from  you  soon.  This  com- 
mittee has  collected  between  40  and  50  guns  for  the  use 
of  troops,  which  are  much  better  than  I  could  expect, 
and  will  be  soon  repaired.  The  greatest  sticklers  for 
ministerial  measures,  step  towards  Continental  as  fast  as 
could  be  expected  in  this  quarter. 

Gentlemen,  I  am,  with  the  greatest  respect. 

Your  very  humble  servt. 

Wm,  Smith. 

To  the  Provincial  Congress,  now  sitting  in  ^sTew  York. 
[Journal  of  the  New  York  Provincial  Congress,  vol.  ii,  p.  110.] 

[  ]sro.  7.  ] 

Examination  of  John  Hendrickson  regarding  the  conspiracy  of 
the  Tories  of  Long  Island, 

Die  Lunse,  9  H.  O.  A.  M.  May  20tb,  1776. 

The  Congress  met  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

John  Hendrickson  attending,  agreeable  to  the  request 

of  yesterday,  the  following  oath  was  administered  to  him : 


328  DOCUMENTS. 

"  I,  John  Hendrickson,  do  solemnly  swear,  on  the  Holy 
Evangelists  of  Almighty  God,  that  the  evidence  that  I 
shall  give  to  this  Congress  shall  be  the  truth,  the  whole 
truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  and  that  I  will  keep 
secret  my  examination  before  this  Congress,  until  leave 
shall  be  given  by  order  of  this  Congress  to  reveal  the 
same." 

The  President  by  order  of  Congress,  assured  Mr.  Hen- 
drickson that  his  name,  and  the  substance  of  the  evidence 
which  he  shall  give,  shall,  for  the  present,  be  kept  secret. 

John  Hendrickson,  being  examined  on  oath,  says,  that 
he  does  not  know  of  any  private  plot  among  the  disaffected 
on  Long  Island;  that  he  has  observed  the  people  of  Hemp- 
stead in  high  spirits  of  late ;  that  the  general  part  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Hempstead  and  Rockaway  are  against  the 
measures  of  the  Colonies,  and  in  favor  of  the  King ;  that 
about  a  fortnight  ago  there  was  a  report  that  a  fleet  was 
expected  to  arrive;  that  they  appeared  rejoiced  at  it;  that 
they  expected  to  reap  a  benefit  from  the  arrival  of  a  fleet ; 
that  some  of  them  say,  they  expect  to  join  the  King's 
troops  if  they  arrive.  That  Richard  Hulett  and  Thomas 
Cornell  were  esteemed  leading  men  of  those  disaffected  in 
Hempstead  and  Rockaway ;  that  Stephen  Hulett  was  also 
esteemed  a  man  of  influence  among  them,  and  active. 
That  Richard  Hulett  and  Thos.  Cornell  are  absent.  That 
Isaac  Denton,  near  Rockaway,  is  thought  to  be  active  at 
present,  and  to  assist  in  sending  provisions  to  the  ships  of 
war ;  that  Isaac  Denton  has  a  sloop  of  his  own,  and  that 
he,  the  examinant,  has  heard  that  the  said  Isaac  Denton 
has  put  provisions  on  board;  that  he  has  lately  heard 
James  Smith,  of  Hempstead,  say  he  would  join  the  King's 
troops  if  they  should  arrive ;  that  people  come  to  Hemp- 
stead from  other  places,  who  are  said  to  come  there  for 
refuge ;  that  he  has  not  lately  seen  many  strangers  going 
there,  but  that  in  January  and  February  last  he  has  seen 


DOCUMENTS.  329 

many  persons,  sometimes  a  number  in  a  day,  who  were 
strangers,  going  to  Hempstead ;  that  they  appeared  to  be 
reserved  and  cautious;  that  he  has  lately  seen  some 
strangers  in  the  county  who  are  not  residents;  that  he 
believes  several  of  the  inhabitants  are  yet  armed ;  that  he 
has  lately  been  informed  that  along  the  south  side,  among 
the  gunners,  every  other  man  at  least  is  armed ;  that  he 
lately  saw  two  or  three  men  like  private  men,  who,  he 
supposed,  belonged  to  one  of  the  ships  of  war ;  that  they 
appeared  like  sailors ;  that  from  his  general  acquaintance, 
it  is  his  opinion,  that  most  part  of  the  inhabitants  would 
oppose  the  liberties  of  America  if  British  troops  should 
arrive;  that  there  are  yet  some  arms  in  and  about  the 
town  of  Hempsted ;  that  the  inhabitants  are  500  or  600 
in  number;  that  he  has  heard  the  inhabitants  speak  of 
Gabriel  Ludlow,  Justice  Clowes,  Daniel  Kissam,  Esq^  and 
Isaac  Smith,  Esq^,  as  principal  men,  but  that  he  has  not 
heard  any  of  those  gentlemen  say  anything  disaffected  to 
the  Colonies,  and  has  not  had  conversation  with  them  on 
the  subject  of  the  present  troubles;  that  last  winter  a 
number  of  the  inhabitants  met  two  or  three  different 
times  at  the  house  of  George  Ryerson ;  that  there  were 
30  or  40  men  at  each  of  those  meetings,  as  he  imagines ; 
that  he  has  seen  ]>avid  Colden,  Cap*.  Whitehead,  Doct. 
Arden,  Thos.  Cornel,  Captain  Richard  Hulett  and  Isaac 
Smith,  go  there ;  that  Captain  Hicks,  at  Rockaway,  who 
formerly  had  a  commission  from  government,  had  about 
140  men  in  his  company ;  that  he  conceives  many  con- 
cealed their  best  arms  when  Colo.  Herd  came  to  disarm 
them ;  that  they  sometimes  go  out  gunning  and  shooting, 
but  complain  for  want  of  ammunition ;  that  the  few 
friends  to  liberty  in  that  part  of  the  country,  are  afraid, 
on  account  of  the  openness  and  threats  of  the  disaffected ; 
that  !N"athan  Smith  told  the  examinant  that  one  Ackerman 
had  informed  him  that  he,  the  said  Ackerman,  had  seen 
42 


330 


DOCUMENTS. 


a  quantity  of  beef  and  pork  on  board  of  Isaac  Denton's 
sloop,  that  there  were  also  butter,  eggs  and  gammons  on 
board,  and  that  the  sloop  proceeded  out  of  Rockaway 
inlet  towards  the  ships  of  war ;  that  this  was  a  few  days 
before  Capt.  Parr  came  up  there  with  a  company  of 
riflemen ;  that  he  has  at  three  different  times  seen  one 
sloop  come  into  Rockaway  inlet ;  that  at  one  time  it  was 
Denton's  sloop  which  he  saw,  and  that  the  last  he  saw  was 
a  light  sloop  which  came  there  on  a  Friday,  which  was  a 
fortnight  ago  last  Friday;  that  from  the  caution  the 
greatest  part  of  the  inhabitants  observe  with  the  few 
friends  to  liberty,  it  is  very  difficult  to  obtain  a  knowledge 
of  their  intentions  or  designs ;  that  he  was  informed,  that 
lately,  at  a  vendue  at  Rockaway,  one  Jacob  Foster,  who 
had  a  cockade  in  his  hat,  was  much  abused  and  ill  treated 
because  he  was  a  whig ;  that  the  cockade  was  taken  out 
of  his  hat  and  trod  on  by  one  Joseph  Beagle ;  that  he  also 
heard  that  Jacob  Hendrickson  was  abused  and  his  hair 
pulled,  because  he  was  a  whig;  that  he,  the  examinant, 
while  he  was  at  that  vendue,  and  before  he  left  it,  saw 
Joseph Langdon  there;  that  he  appeared  to  be  disaffected 
and  active  among  the  people;  that  at  a  sheep  parting 
lately  in  Hempstead,  there  was  fresh  lime  punch  plenty  to 
be  sold,  and  that  it  was  sold  in  the  pens  by  Timothy 
Clowes,  a  tavernkeeper. 

"John  Hendrickson." 

{Journal  of  Provincial  Congress,  vol.  i,  p.  454.] 

[  No.  7  A.  ] 

Plan  of  the  Attack  formed  by  the  British  Spy,  Sergeant  Graham. 

Gilbert  Forbes,  being  again  examined,  further  saith :  That 
be  knew  one  Silk;  that  he  was  left  by  Captain  Aidey 


DOCUMENTS. 


331 


to  wait  upon  his  wife,  who  lives  on  Long  Island,  some- 
where near  Hempstead;  that  he  is  often  in  town,  frequently 
at  Mrs.  dry's  and  Mrs.  Brandon's,  has  the  air  of  a  soldier, 
wears  a  short  brown  hunting  coat  and  a  double-breasted 
jacket  of  the  same  colour;  that  he  used  to  wait  on  a  Mr. 
Miller,  who  lives  or  lodges  in  Mrs.  Gouvemeufs  house  on 
Rotten  Row ;  that  Sergeant  Graham  (an  old  soldier,  dis- 
charged from  the  Royal  Artillery)  was  employed  by  Go- 
vernour  Tryon  to  speak  to  examinant  about  inlisting  men 
for  the  King's  service,  and  told  this  examinant,  from  the 
Governour,  that  if  this  examinant  exerted  himself  in  that 
business  and  raised  a  number  of  men,  he  should  have  a 
company;  that  the  said  Sergeant  also  informed  him  that, 
at  the  request  of  the  Governour,  he  had  surveyed  the  ground 
and  works  about  this  city  and*  on  Long  Island,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  he  had  concerted  a  plan  for  an  attack, 
which  he  had  given  to  Governour  Tryon,  and  which  the 
Governour  approved,  which  was  as  follows,  viz :  that  the 
man-of-war  should  cannonade  the  battery  at  Red  Hook,  and 
while  that  was  doing  a  detachment  of  the  army  with  some 
cannon,  &c.,  should  land  below  or  about  Red  Hook,  and 
march  round  so  as  to  come  upon  the  back  of  the  batteries 
near  Swedeland  House,  that  a  small  part  of  the  detachment 
should  make  a  feint  of  marching  up  the  road  leading 
directly  to  the  battery,  but  that  the  main  body  were  to 
make  a  circuitous  march  so  as  to  reach  the  battery  while 
our  attention  was  engaged  by  the  feint  aforesaid ;  that  if 
they  carried  that  battery,  which  they  expected  to  take  by 
storm,  they  were  immediately  to  attack  the  battery  on  the 
hill  near  the  ferry,  which  the  Sergeant  said  would  be 
easily  done,  as  no  embrasures  were  made,  or  cannon  fixed 
on  the  back  side  of  it;  that  this  latter  battery,  when  in  their 
possession,  would  command  the  works  on  Governour' s 
Island,  which  they  would  keep  between  two  fires,  viz  :  the 
battery  last  mentioned  on  the  one  side,  and  the  shipping 


332 


DOCUMENTS. 


on  the  other ;  that  then  the  shipping,  with  the  remainder 
of  the  Army,  were  to  divide,  one  division  was  to  run  up 
the  JSorth  River  and  land  at  or  about  near  Clarke's  farm, 
and  march  directly  to  Enclenhergh  Hall,  and  fortify  there ; 
the  other  division  was  to  run  up  the  East  River  and  land 
in  such  manner  as  to  gain  a  footing  on  Jones'  Hill,  from 
whence  they  expected  to  command  and  silence  the  battery 
on  Bayard's  Hill;  that  should  they  gain  possession  of  the 
places  above  mentioned,  their  next  object  would  be  the 
grounds  adjacent  to  King's  Bridge,  where  they  intend  to 
erect  strong  works,  so  as,  to  cut  oft'  the  communication 
between  the  city  and  country. 

[^American  Archives,  vol.  vi,  4tli  Series,  folio,  1178.] 


[  m.  8.  ] 

General  Howe  to  Lord  George  Germaine. 

Staten  Island,  July  7,  1776. 

My  Lord  The  Mercury  packet  is  despatched  to  inform 
your  Lordship  of  the  arrival  of  the  Halifax  fleet,  on  the 
29th  of  June,  at  Sandy  Hook,  where  I  arrived  four  days 
sooner  in  the  Grayhound  frigate.  I  met  with  Governour 
Tryon,  on  board  of  ship  at  the  Hook,  and  many  gentlemen, 
fast  friends  to  Government,  attending  him,  from  whom  I 
have  had  the  fullest  information  of  the  state  of  the  Rebels, 
who  are  numerous,  and  very  advantageously  posted,  with 
strong  intreuchments,  both  upon  Long-Island  and  that  of 
Kew  York,  with  more  that  one  hundred  pieces  of  cannon 
for  the  defense  of  the  town  towards  the  sea,  and  to  ob- 
struct the  passage  of  the  fleet  up  the  North  River,  besides 
a  considerable  field-train  of  artillery.  Having  made  in- 
quiries of  these  gentlemen  respecting  the  face  of  the  coun- 


DOCUMENTS. 


333 


try  between  GravesendBay  iu  Long- Island^  and  the  enemy's 
works  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Brooklyn,  their  accounts 
were  so  satisfactory  that  1  had  determined  to  disembark 
the  Army  at  Gravesend;  and  with  this  intention  the  fleet 
moved  up  to  the  bay,  on  the  1st  instant,  in  the  evening,  in 
order  to  land  the  troops  at  the  break  of  day  next  morning; 
but  being  more  particularly  informed  during  the  night  of 
a  strong  pass  upon  a  ridge  of  craggy  heights  covered  with 
wood,  that  lay  in  the  route  the  Army  must  have  taken, 
only  two  miles  distant  from  the  front  of  the  enemy's  en- 
campment and  seven  from  Gravesend,  which  the  Kebels 
would  undoubtedly  have  occupied  before  the  Kings  troops 
could  get  up  to  it;  and  from  the  minutest  description, 
judging  an  attack  upon  this  post,  so  strong  by  nature,  and 
so  near  the  front  of  the  enemy's  works,  to  be  too  hazard- 
ous an  attempt,  before  the  arrival  of  the  troops  with  Com- 
modore Hotham,  daily  expected,  I  declined  the  undertaking, 
and  passing  the  Narrows  with  three  ships  of  war  and  the 
first  division  of  transports,  landed  the  Grenadiers  and 
Light-Infantry  as  the  ships  came  up,  to  the  great  joy  of  a 
most  loyal  people,  long  suffering  on  that  account  under  the 
oppression  of  the  Rebels  stationed  among  them,  who  pre- 
cipitately fled  on  the  approach  of  the  shipping.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  troops  landed  the  next  day  and  night,  and 
are  now  distributed  in  cantonments,  where  they  have  the 
best  refreshments. 

*  *  *  I  propose  waiting  here  for  the  English  fleet, 
or  the  arrival  of  Lieutenant-General  Clinton,  in  readiness 
to  proceed,  unless  by  some  unexpected  change  of  circum- 
stances in  the  meantime,  it  should  be  found  expedient  to 
act  with  the  present  force.    *    *  * 

[American  Archives,  vol.  i,  Sth  Series,  p.  105.] 


334 


DOCUMENTS. 


[  ^To.  8  A.  ] 

Information  respecting  Dr,  Arden  and  others  {tories)  at  Jamaica. 

Doctor  Charles  Arden,  was  the  person  who  instigated  the 
Tories  to  sign  against  having  a  Congress  or  a  Committee. 

Benjamin  Smith  (son  of  Samuel  Smith,  Esq.) 

Bohert  Hinchman. 

Thomas  Smith,  (son  of  Thomas  Smith,)  whom  he  threa- 
tened to  hang  if  he  would  not  sign  a  paper. 

Isaac  Leffertse.  Bought  the  widow  Belt's  farm.  He 
wrote  the  affidavit  of  Boeloff  Duryee  ahout  Parson  Kettle- 
tas,  and  carried  Justice  French  to  Duryee' s  for  that  purpose. 

Captain  Benjamin  Whitehead,  late  Supervisor.  Repeat- 
edly refused  to  communicate  to  the  town  of  Jamaica 
certain  letters  from  the  General  Committee  of  New-  York, 
requesting  the  town  to  be  called  together  to  elect  members 
of  a  Committee  or  Congress.  Witness :  Waters  Smith,  or 
either  of  the  other  persons  above  named,  or  Captain  Jacob 
Wright. 

Alexander  Wallace.  Resides  at  Jamaica,  in  Wat  Smith's 
house. 

 Beihune.  He  maintains  an  intimacy  with  Benja- 
min Whitehead  and  with  Dr.  Arden. 

 Martin,  from  Antigua.  Dwells  at  Obd,  MilVs  house, 

opposite  the  Meeting-House,  at  a  high  rent.  He  associates 
chiefly  with  James  Depeyster. 

Charles  McEvers.    Resides  in  John  Troop's  house. 

Thomas  Colgan  and  Flemming  Colgan  frequently  go  to 
Creed's  Hill  to  look  out ;  the  two  Dunbars,  John  William 
Livingston,  Jan.,  and  one  of  the  Colgans,  were  there  lately 
looking  out  for  a  fleet.  That  the  Dunbars  shut  themselves 
up,  and  refused  to  train  or  pay  their  fines. 

John  and  William.  Dunbar, 


DOCUMENTS. 


335 


George  Folliot.  Lives  with  Jacques  Johnson  at  Fresh  Mea- 
dows, about  one-and-a-half  mile  from  Jamaica. 

Theophilact  Bache,  of  Flatbush,  Comes  to  Jamaica  to 
Alexander  Wallace's. 

James  Dejpeyster.  Lives  next  to  William  Belt's.  His  son, 
Joseph  Depeysler  has  been  pursued  several  times,  but  can- 
not be  taken.    He  is  said  to  be  a  dangerous  Tory. 

[Force's  American  Archives,  vol.  vi,  1776,  folio  1158.] 


[  m.  9.  ] 

Imprisonment  of  the  Loyalists  of  Long  Island. 

GOUVERNEUR  MORRIS  TO    GENERAL  WASHINGTON.  In 

Committee  of  the  Convention  of  Representatives  of  the 
State  of  IS"ew  York,  at  the  City  Hall  of  the  city  of  ITew 
York,  July  14,  1776. 

Sir  :  I  am  directed  by  the  Committee  to  inform  your  Ex- 
cellency that  a  great  number  of  the  persons  now  confined 
in  our  jail  are  from  Queens  County,  on  Long  Island,  and, 
from  all  appearances,  we  are  confident  they  are  in  senti- 
ment inimical  to  that  glorious  cause  in  which,  with  your 
Excellency,  we  have  the  honor  to  be  engaged.  We  have 
it  in  our  power  to  confine  them  close  prisoners,  or  take 
security  for  their  future  conduct.  The  inconvenience  of 
crowding  the  jails  throughout  the  County  with  people  of  this 
character,  if  they  can  safely  be  permitted  to  continue  at 
their  usual  places  of  residence,  is  striking,  as  it  must  fill 
their  minds  with  the  sourness  of  opposition,  and  at  the  same 
trial,  by  rousing  and  engaging  all  their  connections,  and 
giving  a  just  alarm  to  every  person  suspected  of  holding 
similar  principles,  raise  up  numerous  enemies  actuated  by 
revenge  and  despair.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  security  is 
taken  for  their  peaceable  demeanor,  at  the  same  time 


336 


DOCUMENTS. 


binding  them  to  continue  at  their  usual  places  of  abode, 
the  dangers  I  have  just  suggested  to  your  Excellency  will 
indeed  be  removed ;  but  another  cause  of  serious  appre- 
hension will  still  remain,  and  we  shall  risk  much  from  their 
correspondence  with  the  enemy,  while  perhaps  it  may  be 
difficult  to  prevent  them  from  knowing  the  measures  which 
may  be  taken  by  your  Excellency  for  the  publick  service. 
In  this  disagreeable  dilemma,  we  find  ourselves  under  the 
necessity  of  asking  advice,  sir,  from  you,  and  such  persons 
in  your  council  as  you  may  think  proper  to  consult,  it 
being  our  wish  that  our  conduct  should  conform  to  the 
sentiments  of  those  who  are  intrusted  with  the  important 
concerns  of  the  United  Slates.  *       *       *  * 

Gouv.  Morris. 

[Force's  American  Archives,  vol.  i,  5th  series,  folio  334.] 


[  No.  10.  ] 

Report  to  the  President  to  Congress  ;  on  driving  off'  Stock. 

Sir: — I  have  been  some  days,  and  am  still,  in  the  exe- 
cution of  the  order  of  Congress  for  removing  the  cattle, 
horses  and  sheep  in  this  county,  and  expect  to  finish  in  a 
day  or  two  more.  From  the  best  computation  that  can  be 
made,  there  are  not  less  than  7,000  horned  cattle,  7,000 
sheep  and  1000  horses  in  this  county,  comprehended  in  the 
above  order,  and  to  be  removed  in  pursuance  of  it.  A 
number  so  large,  it  is  conceived,  cannot  possibly  live  long 
where  they  are  to  be  driven.  On  the  Bushy  Plains  they 
will  be  entirely  destitute  of  water,  besides  having  other 
very  scanty  means  of  subsistence. 

By  attending  myself  on  this  business,  I  have  had  an 
opportunity  of  knowing  the  extreme  distress  by  which  the 
rigid  execution  of  this  order  must  expose  many  people  with 
their  families;  so  that  some  among  the  poorer  sort,  for 


DOCUMENTS. 


337 


aught  I  know,  must  be  left  to  starve.  The  cattle  which 
many  people  have  turned  oft*  to  fat  for  the  use  of  their 
families,  will  be  lost  as  to  all  the  purposes  of  such  provi- 
sion, and  their  families  be  destitute  of  that  necessary  sup- 
ply for  winter.  In  several  parts  of  the  county  there  was 
last  year  a  distemper  among  the  horses,  which  swept  off* 
such  numbers  of  them  that  many  people  have  been  obliged 
since  to  depend  entirely  upon  oxen.  These  being  now 
taken  away,  they  are  deprived  of  the  only  means  they  had 
of  carrying  on  any  labor  upon  their  farms,  that  requires  a 
team  of  horses  or  oxen.  The  consequence  of  which  must 
be,  that  they  can  neither  secure  their  present  harvest,  nor 
till  the  earth  for  a  future  one. 

I  find  the  people  in  general  are  willing  to  enter  into  ob- 
ligations, that  (in  case  of  immediate  danger)  they  will  drive 
their  stock  to  any  place  of  greater  safety  on  the  island, 
pursuant  to  the  direction  of  the  Congress  or  county  com- 
mittee. And  considering  the  danger  there  is,  under  the 
present  regulation  of  losing  a  great  part  of  the  stock  for 
want  of  sustenance,  and  the  hardships  to  which  people  are 
reduced,  I  thought  it  might  not  be  amiss,  to  mention  this 
circumstance,  supposing  that  the  Congress,  in  concurrence 
with  the  General,  might  perhaps,  fall  on  some  method,  in 
this  way,  for  securing  this  stock  on  an  emergency. 

The  difficulty  of  keeping  the  stock  within  the  limits 
prescribed,  will  be  so  great  that  I  doubt  it  will  be  out  of 
my  power  to  effect  it.  A  considerable  number  of  men 
will  be  necessary  for  the  purpose  —  more  than  I  can  possi- 
bly keep  on  that  duty,  when  harvest  is  so  near  at  hand. 
In  short  I  do  not  see  but  that  for  the  present  at  least,  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  leave  them  to  take  their  chance. 

I,  am,  sir,  your  very  humble  servant. 

Benj.  Kissam. 

Cow  Neck,  July,  1776. 
[Onderdonk's  Bev.  Incidents  Queens  Co.,  p.  76.] 

43 


338 


DOCUMENTS. 


[  No.  11.  ] 

Jeromus  Eemseriy  to  Col.  John  Sands. 

New  York,  July  3,  1776. 

To  Col.  John  Sands,  Esq. : 

Sir:  I  have  this  day  waited  upon  his  Excellency,  Gen. 
Washington,  relating  to  removing  the  cattle,  horses  and 
sheep  on  the  south  side  of  Queens  county,  according  to 
the  resolve  of  Congress  and  the  general  officers  of  the 
army.  His  opinion  is  that  the  commanding  officers  and 
committees  of  the  county,  order  it  immediately  done.  He 
farther  declared  that  in  case  the  Tories  made  any  resist- 
ance, he  would  send  a  number  of  his  men  with  orders  to 
shoot  all  the  creatures,  and  also  those  who  hindered  the 
execution  of  said  resolve,  within  the  limits  therein  pre- 
scribed. The  Commissary  of  the  army  engaged  to  me 
that  he  would  pay  the  full  value  for  the  fat  cattle  and  sheep 
to  the  owners,  provided  they  would  drive  them  within 
Gen.  Greene's  lines,  in  Brookland.  Proper  care  will  be 
taken  as  to  valuing  said  creatures.  Time  will  not  permit 
us  to  make  any  delay. 

I  am  sir,  your  very  humble  servant, 

Jeromus  Remsen,  Jr. 
[Onderdonk's  Bev.  Incidents  Queens  Co.,  p.  74.] 

[  m.  12.  ] 

Captain  Lambert  Suydam^s  Report  of  Loyalist  Prisoners. 

Camp,  Long  Island,  Aug.  19,  1776. 

I,  the  subscriber,  went  down  to  Rockaway  just  at  day- 
break, with  my  company  of  Light  Horse,  pursuant  to  an 


DOCUMENTS. 


339 


order  from  Brig.  Gen.  Heard,  to  take  care  of  some  boats. 

At  the  house  of  Van  Brockle,  I  discovered  a  number 

of  men,  issue  out  of  the  door  and  run,  some  of  them  partly 
dressed,  and  some  in  their  shirts  only.  Immediately  I  or- 
dered my  men  to  pursue  them,  and  presently  overtook 
three  of  their  number,  and  took  them  prisoners.  Two  of 
them  got  to  the  woods  and  hid  under  the  bushes;  on  find- 
ing them,  I  ordered  them  to  surrender.  One  of  them  did; 
the  other  absolutely  refused,  although  one  of  my  men  had 
his  gun  presented  to  his  breast;  on  which  my  men  alighted 
and  took  him. 

After  I  had  taken  six  prisoners,  I  examined  the  beach, 
and  found  a  boat  and  four  oars,  and  a  paddle.  In  the 
boat  were  three  sheep,  four  ducks,  and  a  large  bottle  with 
water. 

Lambert  Suydam,  Captain  of  ike  Troop. 
[Onderdonk's  JRev.  Incidents  Queens  Co.,  p.  86.] 


[  No.  13.  ] 

A  Roil  of  the  Commissioned  Officers,  Non- Commissioned  Officers, 
and  Privates,  of  the  Troop  of  Horse  of  King's  County,  which 
were  upon  Duty  in  order  to  drive  off  the  Stock,  Commenced 
August  14,  1776. 

Upon  duty  and  came  over  from        Upon  duty,  but  remained  upon 

Long  Island.  Long  Island. 

Daniel  Rappelye,  1st  Lieutenant.  Lambert  Suydam,  Captain. 

Jacob  Bloom,      2d       do.  Peter  Wyckoff,  Quartermaster. 

Peter  Vandervoot,  Ensign.  Hendrick  Suydam,  Clerk. 

Hendrick  Johnson,  Sergeant.  John  Nostrant,  do. 


340 


DOCUMENTS. 


John  Blanco,  Trumpeter. 
Reyner  Suydam,  Private. 
John  Vanderveer,  do. 


Jacob  Suydam,  Private. 
Isaac  Snediker,  do. 
Isaac  Boerum,  do. 
John  Kierson,  do. 
Rutgers  Van  Brunt,  do. 
Charles  De  Bevort,  do. 
Benjamin  Seaman,  do. 
Roelof  Turhume,  do. 
Andrew  Casper,  do. 
Thomas  Betts,  do. 
Martin  Kershaw,  do. 
Peter  Miller,  do. 
Hendrick  Wyckoff,  do. 

Daniel  Rappelye,  Lieutenant. 


A  Roll  of  Commissioned  Officers,  Non-  Commissioned  Officers, 
and  Privates,  of  the  Troop  of  Light  Horse  of  Queen's  County, 
which  were  upon  duty  in  order  to  drive  off  the  Stock,  Com- 
menced, August  14,  1776. 


Upon  duty,  and  came  over  from 
off  Long  Island. 

William  Boerum,  1st  Lieutenant. 
Jacob  Sebring,  Ensign. 
Isaac  Sebring,  Private. 
Joseph  Sebring,  do. 
John  Hicks,  do. 
Greorge  Powels,  do. 
William  Ellsworth,  do. 
Jeremiah  Brower,  do. 
James  Casper,  do. 
William  Boerum,  do. 
Adolphus  Brower,  do. 

William  Boerum,  Lieutenant. 
[Force's  American  Archives,  vol.  i,  5th  Series,  folio  953.] 


Upon  duty,  hut  remained  upon 
Long  Island. 

Thomas  Everit,  2d  Lieutenant. 
Joseph  Smith,  Private. 
William  Everit,  do. 
Abraham  Rappelye,  do. 
Stephen  Schenck,  do. 
Robert  Galbreath,  do. 
Samuel  Etherington,  do. 
Nicholas  Van  Dam,  do. 


DOCUMENTS. 


341 


[  ISTo.  14.  ] 

Depositions  and  Letters  relating  to  the  Loyalists  of  Long  Island, 

Committee  Chamber, 

White  Plains,  12th  July,  1776. 

Mr.  being  duly  sworn  on  the  Holy  Evangelist  of 

Almighty  God,  deposeth  and  says:  That  some  time  after 
"William  Sutton  returned  home  from  Governor  Tryon's 
ship,  he  (this  deponent)  was  informed  by  said  Sutton  as 
follows:  That  our  people  were  to  be  cut  off  from  I^ew- 
York,  and  that  the  King's  troops  were  to  land  about  ten 
miles  from  Mamaroneck;  that  Hudson's  river  was  to  be 
occupied  by  them ;  that  the  fleet  was  to  be  drawn  up  in  a 
line  before  New- York,  with  intent  to  keep  the  force's  there 
in  action,  in  order  to  give  the  transports  a  better  opportu- 
nity of  running  up  the  isTorth  river,  with  intent  to  cut  off 
the  communication  between  the  country  and  city;  that  the 
King's  standard  was  to  be  hoisted,  and  that  the  tories 
would  then  have  a  chance ;  that  said  Sutton  further  informed 
this  deponent,  that  Robert  Sutton,  of  Long  island,  would 
join  the  regulars  with  seven  hundred  men  well  equipped ; 
that  a  proclamation  would  be  issued  out  by  the  King's 
party;  that  the  people  would  then  know  what  they  had  to 
expect;  and  that  there  would  be  forty-five  thousand  troops 
sent  over  to  America  this  Summer.  And  this  deponent 
says,  that  he  heard  John  Sutton  (son  of  the  aforesaid  Wil- 
liam) declare,  that  the  regulars  would  land  between  Ma- 
maroneck and  Horseneck,  and  that  he  would  join  them. 
And  this  deponent  further  says,  that  he  heard  James 
Horton  say  that  he  was  sure  the  Ministerial  army  would 
conquer,  and  that  matters  would  soon  be  settled.  And 
further  says  not. 

By  order  of  Committee. 

John  Thomas,  Junr.,  Chairman. 

[Journal  Provincial  Congress,  vol.  ii,  p.  302.] 


342 


DOCUMENTS. 


In  Committee  of  Safety, 
White  Plains,  July  13tli,  1776. 

The  within  deponent  came  before  this  committee,  and 
made  oath  that  he  saw  Joshua  Gedney,  of  Dutchess 
county,  have  a  long  list  of  men's  names  who  would  join 
the  Ministerial  army;  that  said  list  of  names  was  delivered 
to  Governor  Tryon  by  said  Gedney,  in  the  presence  of  this 
deponent.  And  this  deponent  further  says  :  that  he  heard 
Caleb  Fowler,  junr.  of  I^orth  Castle,  degrade  the  service 
he  had  been  in,  and  that  if  he  went  again  he  would  go 
like  a  man  and  join  the  Ministerial  army. 

By  order  of  Committee. 
John  Thomas,  Junr, 
Chairman. 

[_im.,^.  303.] 


In  Committee  of  Safety, 
White  Plains,  July  15th,  1776. 

Mr.  came  before  this  committee  and  made  oath,  that 

William  Sutton,  did,  about  fourteen  days  ago,  at  the  house 
of  Mcholas  Morrell,  at  Mamaroneck,  declare,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  this  deponent  and  James  Reynolds,  cabinet-maker 
of  I^ew-York,  and  several  others,  whose  names  this  depo- 
nent does  not  at  present  recollect,  that  in  case  Independency 
was  declared  by  the  Continental  Congress,  that  there  were 
three  colonels  in  the  service  that  would  join  the  Ministerial 
army.    And  further  says  not. 

By  order  of  Committee. 
John  Thomas,  Junr, 
Chmrman, 


DOCUMENTS. 


343 


Letter  frmn  Gen,  Scott. 

New  York,  July  15th,  1776. 

Sir — This  will  be  delivered  to  you  by  Lieut.  Cole,  of 
my  brigade.  He  is  from  Queens,  and  should  have  been 
under  the  command  of  the  Richmond  captains,  had  he  not 
proved  a  villain  and  joined  the  enemy.  I  do  not  know  what 
to  do  with  him  in  the  present  situation  of  things.  He  has 
12  men  with  now  in  camp;  he  expects  by  the  even- 
ing to  be  made  up  to  25.  It  would  be  a  great  pity  to  lose 
so  stout  and  handsome  a  young  fellow.  I  could  provide 
him  with  a  second  lieutenancy ;  but  he  has  too  much  spirit 
to  be  degraded.  I  like  him  well,  and  wish  something  may 
be  done  for  him  by  Congress.  It  is  possible,  sir,  that 
the  Congress  can  sustain  the  clamours  of  the  army,  and 
the  murmuring  of  the  inhabitants,  occasioned  by  their 
retreat.  For  God  sake,  for  the  honour  of  the  State  of  IsTew 
York,  and  for  their  own  honour,  bring  them  back  if  pos- 
sible. 

I  am,  sir,  your  most  obedt.  servt, 

Jno.  Morin  Scott. 

[Journal  Provincial  Congress  of  New  York,  vol.  ii,  p.  302.] 


Letter  from  W.  Rogers. 

Fire  Island,  June  21,  1776. 

Gentlemen  —  I  expect  you  have  heard  of  the  two  prizes 
brought  in  here,  and  may  think  strange  that  we  were  not 
in  the  way ;  we  seem  to  be  damned  unlucky,  for  that  day 
we  were  heaving  down,  the  vessels  came  from  the  eastward 


344 


DOCUMENTS. 


close  along  shore,  they  only  had  to  go  about  two  miles 
over  the  bar  and  bring  them  both  in  ;  fortune  favored  them 
in  every  respect,  for  they  went  out  with  the  wind  to  the 
northward,  and  as  soon  as  they  got  on  board  the  ship,  the 
wind  came  round  to  the  seaward  so  that  they  come  right 
on  before  the  wind,  for  there  was  not  a  man  on  board  that 
could  put  the  ship  on  stays.  That  it  is  damned  hard  to 
think  that  we  have  cruised  so  long  and  got  nothing,  to  see 
a  thing  that  has  not  been  a  league  from  the  land,  but  been 
a  thumming  along  shore,  go  out  and  bring  in  two  prizes 
before  our  eyes,  and  could  not  have  any  hand  in  it.  On 
the  14th  instant  at  daylight  we  saw  a  sail  in  the  of&ng 
we  gave  her  chase,  at  8  came  so  nigh  that  we  discovered 
her  to  be  a  ship  of  war;  we  were  then  about  6  or  7  leagues 
from  the  land,  with  the  wind  off  shore.  When  we  saw 
what  she  was,  we  hauled  our  wind  and  stood  from  her, 
she  then  gave  chase ;  at  meridian  we  got  into  this  inlet, 
when  we  crossed  the  bar,  the  ship  was  in  about  a  mile  of 
us;  we  saved  ourselves  and  that  was  all.  On  the  17th  I 
received  the  things  that  you  sent  by  Lieut.  Thew ;  on  the . 
18th  hauled  into  the  creek;  19th,  hove  down,  which  was 
the  day  the  prizes  were  brought  in.  We  have  now  got  all 
on  board,  and  out  of  the  creek ;  have  little  wood  and  water 
to  get,  which  I  shall  do  as  soon  as  possible.  On  the  19th 
at  night,  we  had  six  men  deserted  from  Fire  island ;  our 
own  boat  was  secured  so  that  I  was  under  no  apprehension 
of  their  getting  off  the  island;  but  there  was  a  party  of 
soldiers  on  the  other  end  of  the  island  with  a  whale  boat ; 
they  went  there  and  took  the  boat  from  along  side  the 
tent  and  went  off  with  her ;  their  names  are,  Thomas 
Butler,  Richard  Gildersleve,  Ebenezer  Conkling,  Solo- 
mon Kitcham,  Jonathan  Armstrong,  and  Elisha  Reeves. 
Butler  is  a  short  mulatto  looking  fellow,  married  to  one 
Michael  Shruns'  or  Thrums'  daughter,  at  the  sign  of  the 
Black  Horse  in  Bowre  Lain.    Conkling,  Kitcham,  and 


DOCUMENTS. 


345 


Gildersleeve,  all  belong  to  Huntington,  and  have  gone 
home  I  hear.  Reeves  and  Armstrong  belong  to  Southold. 
Butler,  I  expect,  may  be  found  in  ^^'ew-York;  and  if  the 
Congress  or  Committee  of  Safety  writes  to  the  Committees 
of  Huntington  and  Southold,  they  may  all  be  taken ;  for 
if  they  are  permitted  to  desert,  and  taken  no  notice  of,  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  keep  a  man ;  for  every  affront  they 
will  go  off.  If  they  have  anything  to  complain  of  about 
their  treatment,  I  am  ready  to  answer  for  it. 

I  am,  gentlemen. 

Your  most  obt.  humbl.  servt. 

W,  RoaERS. 

To  Mr.  Van  Zandt  and  Capt.  Randell. 

[Journal  Provincial  Congress  of  New  York,  vol.  ii,  p.  467.] 


Letters  from  Messrs.  Benson,  Smith  and  Cantine,  Commis- 
sioners of  Conspiracies,  informing  the  Council  of  Safety  that 
a  number  of  Quakers  have  lately  been  to  Long-island  without 
permission,  ^c. 

Poughkeepsie,  June  18th,  1777. 

Sir — A  number  of  the  people  called  Quakers,  have 
lately  been  to  Long  island  without  permission,  to  attend 
their  annual  meeting  at  Flushing ;  as  soon  as  we  received 
information  of  it,  we  issued  the  necessary  orders  to  have 
them  apprehended,  and  we  have  now  several  detained  as 
prisoners  at  this  place ;  they  aver  that  they  attended  the 
meeting  solely  for  religious  purposes,  and  that  they  have 
not  in  the  least  intermeddled  in  political  matters ;  we  are 
not  possessed  of  any  evidence  either  that  they  have  or  have 
not.  As  there  are  upwards  of  twenty  in  this  predicament, 
we  conceive  it  a  matter  of  too  much  importance  to  deter- 
44 


I 

346  DOCT^MENTS. 

mine  it  until  we  had  previously  communicated  the  state  of 
it  to  the  Council  of  Safety,  for  their  advice  and  directions; 
you  will  please  therefore  to  lay  the  same  before  the  Council, 
and  we  shall  be  happy  in  their  speedy  instructions. 

We  remain,  respectfully. 
Your  very  hble.  servants, 
Egbt.  Benson, 

Melancton  Smith,  ' 
Peter  Cantine,  Junr. 

Commissioners. 

To  the  Hon.  Pierre  Van  Cortlandt. 

[Ibid.] 


[  14  A.  ] 

Letters  of  Coldcn  and  Try  on. 

To  his  Excellency,  Wm.  Tryon,  Esq.,  Capt.  General,  and 
Governor  of  the  Province  of  Xew-York,  and  the  territo- 
ries thereon  depending,  in  America:  Chancellor  and 
Vice  Admiral  of  the  same,  &c.,  &c. 

May  it  please  your  Excellency, — we,  the  freeholders  and 
inhabitants  of  Queens  county,  are  happy  once  again  to  ad- 
dress your  Excellency  in  the  capital  of  the  Province.  We 
heartily  congratulate  you  on  your  return,  which  we  consi- 
der as  the  earnest  of  farther  success,  and  hope  ere  long  the 
whole  Province  will  feel  the  blessings  of  your  Excellency's 
upright  administration. 

Anxiously  do  we  look  forward  to  the  time,  when  the 
disobedient  shall  return  to  their  duty,  and  the  ravages  of 
war  cease  to  desolate  this  once  flourishing  country. 

That  we  may  be  restored  to  the  King's  most  gracious 
protection,  torn  from  us  by  the  hand  of  violence;  and 


DOCUMENTS. 


347 


quicken  others  by  our  example  to  embrace  the  repeated 
invitations  of  his  Majesty's  commissioners,  we  have  resolved 
on  and  subscribed  a  dutiful  representation  and  petition, 
setting  forth  to  them  our  loyal  disposition,  and  praying 
that  the  county  may  be  declared  at  the  King's  peace. 

We  entreat  your  Excellency  to  present  our  petition;  and 
rely  on  your  known  humanity  and  benevolence  for  the 
exertion  of  your  influence  in  behalf  of  the  well  affected 
county  of  Queens,  that  it  may  again  in  the  bosom  of  peace 
enjoy  the  royal  favor  under  your  Excellency's  paternal 
care  and  attention. 

Signed  by  desire  and  in  behalf  of  1293  freeholders  and 
inhabitants,  by  David  Golden. 

Queens  County,  Oct.  21, 1776. 

[Onderdonk's  Hevolutionary  Incidents  Queens  Co.,  p.  109.] 


New  York,  Nov.  12th,  1776. 

Sir — In  compliance  with  the  request  in  the  address 
presented  to  me  by  you,  in  behalf  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Queens  county,  I  immediately  after  my  return  from  head 
quarters  waited  on  Lord  Howe,  one  of  the  King's  commis- 
sioners for  restoring  peace  to  his  Majesty's  colonies,  and 
presented  to  his  Lordship  the  very  dutiful  and  loyal  peti- 
tion and  representation  of  the  said  inhabitants,  who  was 
pleased  to  say,  "He  would  take  the  earliest  opportunity  of 
communicating  with  Gen.  Howe  on  the  occasion." 

This  public  testimony  from  the  inhabitants  of  Queens 
county,  of  their  unshaken  loyalty  to  our  most  gracious 
sovereign,  and  of  their  zealous  attachment  to  the  British 
constitution,  is  particularly  agreeable  to  me,  and  entitles 


318 


DOCUMENTS. 


them  to  my  best  endeavors  for  a  speedy  accomplishment 
of  their  wishes :  the  season  and  the  expediency  of  the 
granting  whereof  are  safely  and  happily  committed  to  the 
wisdom  and  direction  of  his  Majesty's  commissioners. 
I  am,  with  regard,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

Wm.  Tryon. 

David  Golden,  Esq.,  of  Queens  Co. 
[Ibid.] 


[  No.  15.  ] 

Major  Abner  Benedict's  Account  of  the  Battle  and  of  the  Tornado 
which  preceded  it. 

Abner  Benedict  was  born  at  i^orth  Salem,  New  York, 
Nov.  9th,  1740.  A  classmate  of  Timothy  D wight,  he  gra- 
duated at  Yale  College,  in  1769,  and  studied  theology  with 
the  celebrated  Dr.  Bellamy,  of  Bethlehem,  Conn.  *  * 
He  was  with  the  army  in  New  York,  and  being  deeply 
interested  in  the  efforts  put  forth  to  destroy  the  enemy's 
ships  by  torpedos,  made  some  inventions  in  submarine 
navigation,  which  were  looked  upon  with  great  favor  by 
those  to  whom  they  were  submitted.  He  often  spoke  of 
the  excitement  which  the  news  of  the  landing  of  the 
British  on  Long  Island  created  in  the  army,  and  of  the 
effects  on  the  inhabitants,  who  saw  that  the  final  struggle 
for  New  York  was  at  hand.  The  day  around  which  clus- 
tei^d  such  momentous  destinies,  closed  with  what  seemed 
an  awful  omen  of  good  or  ill  to  the  American  cause.  Mr. 
Benedict  was  in  the  ranks  on  Brooklyn  Heights  at  the  time 
from  the  ramparts  of  which  he  could  look  out  on  the  roll- 
ing country  dotted  with  troops,  hurrying  in  every  direction. 


DOCUMENTS. 


349 


The  most  intense  excitement  prevailed  throughout  the 
city,  and  reenforcements  had  been  pushed  rapidly  forward' 
all  day  to  meet  the  coming  shock. 

But  crowded  as  the  day  had  been  with  anxious  fears 
and  gloomy  forebodings,  the  coming  on  of  evening  brought 
new  terrors.  In  the  west  slowly  rose  a  thunder-cloud,  the 
glittering,  coruscated  edges  of  which  seemed  solid  as  mar- 
ble, so  that  when  the  sun  passed  behind  it,  it  was  like  a 
total  eclipse,  and  sudden  darkness  fell  on  sea  and  land. 

Mr.  Benedict's  description  of  the  appearance  and  passage 
of  the  thunder-cloud  was  appalling.  As  it  continued  to 
rise  higher  and  higher,  he  observed  that  it  was  surcharged 
with  electricity,  for  the  lightning  was  constantly  search- 
ing it  from  limit  to  limit,  and  the  deep  reverberations  that 
rolled  along  the  heavens  without  intermission,  sounded 
more  like  successive  billows  bursting  on  the  shore,  than 
the  irregular  discharges  of  a  thunder-cloud. 

At  length,  at  seven  o'clock,  it  began  to  rain.  All  before 
had  been  the  skirmishing  that  precedes  the  battle,  but  now 
like  some  huge  monster  that  cloud  suddenly  gaped  and 
shot  forth  flame.  Then  followed  a  crash  louder  than  a 
thousand  cannon  discharged  at  once.  It  was  appalling. 
The  soldiers  involuntary  cowered  before  it.  In  a  few 
moments  the  entire  heavens  became  black  as  ink,  and 
from  horizon  to  horizon  the  whole  empyrean  was  ablaze 
with  lightning,  while  the  thunder  that  followed  did  not  come 
in  successive  peals,  but  in  one  long  and  continuous  crash, 
as  if  the  very  frame  work  of  the  skies  was  falling  to  pieces, 
accompanied  with  a  confused  sound,  as  though  the  frag- 
ments were  tumbling  into  a  profound  abyss.  The  light- 
ning fell  in  masses  and  sheets  of  lire  to  the  earth,  and 
seemed  to  be  striking  incessantly  and  on  every  side. 
There  was  an  apparent  recklessness  and  wildness  about 
the  unloosed  strength  of  the  elements  that  was  absolutely 
terrifying.    The  power  that  was  abroad  seemed  sufficient 


350 


DOCUMENTS. 


to  crush  the  earth  into  a  thousand  fragments.  The  fort 
was  as  silent  as  the  grave,  for  the  strongest  heart  bent 
before  this  exhibition  of  God's  terrible  majesty.  It  did  not 
pass  away  like  an  ordinary  shower,  for  the  cloud  appeared 
to  stand  still,  and  swing  round  and  round  like  a  horizontal 
wheel  over  the  devoted  city.  It  clung  to  it  with  a  tenacity 
that  was  frightful.  For  three  hours,  or  from  seven  to  ten, 
the  deafening  uproar  continued  without  cessation  or  abate- 
ment. When  it  finally  took  its  tumultuous  departure, 
every  heart  felt  relieved. 

The  morning  dawned  mild  and  peaceful,  as  if  nothing 
unusual  had  happened,  but  soon  reports  began  to  come  in 
of  the  devastation  and  death  the  storm  had  spread  around. 
There  was  no  end  of  the  accounts  of  almost  miraculous 
escapes  of  the  inmates  of  houses  that  were  struck.  In 
others  the  inhabitants  were  more  or  leae  injured.  A 
soldier,  passing  through  one  of  the  streets,  without  receiv- 
ing apparently  any  external  injury  was  struck  deaf,  dumb 
and  blind.  A  captain  and  two  lieutenants  belonging  to 
McDougal's  regiment,  were  killed  by  one  thunderbolt; 
the  points  of  their  swords  melted  off',  and  the  coin  melted 
in  their  pockets.  Their  bodies  appeared  as  if  they  had 
been  roasted,  so  black  and  crisped  was  the  skin.  Ten  men 
encamped  outside  the  fort  near  the  river,  and  occupying  one 
tent,  were  killed  by  a  single  flash.  When  the  tent,  that 
had  fallen  upon  them,  was  lifted,  they  lay  scattered  around 
on  the  ground,  presenting  a  most  melancholy  appearance. 
They  belonged  to  one  of  the  Connecticut  regiments  and 
were  buried  in  one  grave.  The  service  performed  by  the 
chaplain  was  very  solemn  and  impressive.  Familiar  as  we 
become  with  death  in  the  midst  of  war,  it  somehow  affects 
us  very  differently  when  sent,  apparently,  direct  from  the 
hand  of  God.  In  battle  we  hear  the  roar  of  the  guns,  and 
after  the  smoke  and  tumult  have  passed  away,  we  expect 
to  see  bleeding  and  mangled  forms  scattered  around. 


DOCUMENTS. 


351 


But  there  seems  a  hidden  meaning,  some  secret  purpose, 
when  the  bolt  is  launched,  by  an  invisible  arm,  and  from 
the  mysterious  depths  of  space. 

From  every  side  came  in  reports  of  soldiers  more  or  less 
injured,  and  the  excitement  could  hardly  have  been  greater, 
and  the  returns  caused  more  surprise,  if  there  had  been  a 
night  attack  on  the  camp. 

Mr.  Benedict  said  he  could  not  account  for  the  cloud 
remaining  so  long  stationary,  unless  the  vast  amount  of 
arms  collected  in  and  about  the  city  held  it  by  attraction 
and  drew  from  it  such  a  fearful  amount  of  electricity.^ 

At  regimental  prayers,  next  morning,  he  felt  peculiarly 
solemn.  The  great  battle  so  near  at  hand,  to  be  perhaps 
a  decisive  one  for  his  country,  filled  him  with  sad  forebod- 
ings. 

Scarcely  were  the  religious  services  finished  when  strains 
of  martial  music  were  heard  near  the  ferry,  and  not  long 
after  column  after  column  came  winding  up  the  heights 
towards  the  fort.  They  were  six  battalions,  sent  over  by 
"Washington,  accompanied  by  General  Putnam,  who  was 
to  take  chief  command.  The  General  was  received  with 
loud  cheers,  and  his  presence  inspired  universal  confidence. 

In  a  short  time  the  whole  country,  to  the  front  and  right 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  was  covered  with  the  smoke 
of  battle,  and  shook  to  the  thunder  of  cannon.  When  the 
tumult  ceased,  the  fields  alive  with  fugitives  from  the 
American  army,  told  how  disastrous  the  day  had  been.  Mr. 
Benedict's  heart  was  filled  with  the  most  poignant  sorrow, 
for  not  only  had  the  Americans  lost  the  battle,  but  the 
whole  army  was  now  threatened  with  total  destruction. 
The  silence  of  the  evening  was  more  oppressive  than  the 
uproar  and  carnage  of  the  day,  for,  "  what  noiv  can  save  the 


'  This  explanation  was  in  accordance  with  the  theory  of  thunder  storms  at 
that  time. —  Ed. 


352 


DOCUMENTS. 


armyV^  trembled  on  every  lip.  No  one  believed  the  fort 
could  be  defended,  as  all  the  approaches  to  it  were  in  the 
enemy's  power;  while  the  first  movement  to  retreat  across 
to  the  city  would  bring  the  ships  of  war  lying  just  below 
into  their  midst. 

In  this  fearful  dilemma  fervent  prayers  went  up  to  Him 
who  alone  could  deliver.  As  if  in  answer  to  those  prayers, 
when  night  deepened,  a  dense  fog  came  rolling  in,  and 
settled  on  land  and  water.  At  the  same  time,  with  the 
turn  of  the  tide,  a  strong  east  wind  arose,  that  sent  the 
water  with  the  force  of  a  torrent  into  the  bay,  effectually 
preventing  for  the  time  the  ships,  if  they  had  desired  it, 
from  entering  the  river.  Under  cover  of  this  fog  and 
the  night  Washington  silently  withdrew  his  entire  army 
across  the  river  to  i^ew  York.  Mr.  Benedict,  who 
watched  the  progress  of  this  movement,  with  an  anxiety 
that  mocked  expression,  remained  behind,  while  boat  load 
after  boat  load  drifted  away  in  the  darkness.  When  the 
army  was  all  over,  he  then  consented  to  go  also,  and  step- 
ping into  a  boat,  was  one  of  the  last  to  leave  that  disastrous 
shore.  He  retreated  with  the  army  to  Harlaem  Heights, 
and  was  present  in  the  skirmishes  that  followed,  and  wit- 
nessed the  battle  of  White  Plains.  In  the  description  of 
the  army  that  succeeded  the  fall  of  Fort  Washington,  he 
returned  to  his  parish. 

[Gliaplains  and  Clergy  of  the  Revolution.'] 

[  No.  16.  ] 

Journal  of  the  Transactions  of  August  17,  1776,  upon  Long 
Island;  hy  Colonel  Samuel  J.  Atlee, 

August  27,  1776. 

This  morning,  before  day,  the  camp  was  alarmed  by  an 
attack  made  upon  that  part  of  our  picket  guard  upon  the 


DOCUMENTS. 


353 


lower  road  leading  to  the  Narrows^  commenced  by  Major 
Burd  of  the  Pennsylvania  Flying-Camp.  About  daylight 
a  part  of  General  Lord  Stirling's  Brigade  then  in  camp, 
viz:  the  battalion,  of  Maryland^  Colonel  Smallwood ;  the 
Delaware,  Colonel  Hasleii ;  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
of  my  Battalion  Pennsylvania  Musquetry,  and  part  of  Lutz 
and  Kiechlein's  Battalions,  Pennsylvania  Militia ;  contain- 
ing in  the  whole  about  two  thousand  three  hundred  men, 
under  the  command  of  Major-Gen eral  Sullivan,  and  the 
Brigadiers  Stirling  and  Parsons,  were  ordered  to  march  out 
and  support  the  picket  attacked  by  the  enemy. 

About  half  after  seven  the  enemy,  consisting  of  the 
fourth  and  sixth  Brigades  of  the  British  Army,  composed 
of  the  Seventeenth,  Fortieth,  Forty-sixth,  Fifty-fifth, 
Twenty-third,  Forty-fourth,  Fifty-seventh,  Sixty-fourth, 
and  Forty-second  E-egiments,  were  observed  advancing 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  our  lines  at  Brookline  in 
regular  order,  their  field  artillery  in  front. 

I  then  received  orders  from  Lord  Stirling  to  advance  with 
my  battalion,  and  oppose  the  enemy's  passing  a  morass  or 
swamp,  at  the  foot  of  a  fine  rising  ground,  upon  which 
they  were  first  discovered,  and  thereby  give  time  to  our 
brigade  to  form  upon  the  heights.  This  order  I  imme- 
diately obeyed,  notwithstanding  we  must  be  exposed,  with- 
out any  kind  of  cover,  to  the  great  fire  of  the  enemy's 
musketry  and  field  pieces,  charged  with  round  and  grape 
shot,  and  finely  situated  upon  the  eminence  above  men- 
tioned, having  the  entire  command  of  the  ground  I  was 
ordered  to  occupy.  My  battalion,  although  new  and 
never  before  having  the  opportunity  of  facing  an  enemy, 
sustained  their  fire  until  the  brigade  had  formed;  but 
finding  we  could  not  possibly  prevent  their  crossing  the 
swamp,  I  ordered  my  detachment  to  file  oft*  to  the  left, 
and  take  post  in  a  wood  upon  the  left  of  the  brigade. 
Here  I  looked  upon  myself  advantageously  situated,  and 
45 


354 


DOCUMENTS. 


might  be  enabled,  upon  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  to  give 
him  a  warm  reception.  In  this  affair  I  lost  but  one  soldier, 
shot  with  a  grape  shot  through  his  throat.  I  had  not  taken 
post  in  the  above  mentioned  wood  but  a  few  minutes  when 
I  received  a  reinforcement  of  two  companies  of  the  Dela- 
loares,  under  Captain  Stedman,  with  orders  from  Lord  Stir- 
ling to  file  off  further  to  the  left  and  prevent,  if  possible,  a 
body  of  the  enemy  observed  advancing  to  flank  the  brigade. 

The  enemy's  troops  by  this  time  had  passed  the  swamp 
and  formed  in  line  of  battle  opposite  ours.  A  heavy  fire, 
as  well  from  small  arms  as  artillery,  ensued,  with  very 
little  damage  on  our  side ;  what  the  enemy  sustained  we 
could  not  judge.  Upon  filing  off'  to  the  left,  according  to 
the  orders  I  had  received,  I  espied  at  the  distance  of  about 
three  hundred  yards  a  hill  of  clear  ground,  which  I  judged 
to  be  a  proper  situation  to  oppose  the  troops  ordered  to 
flank  us,  and  which  I  determined,  if  possible,  to  gain 
before  them.  At  the  foot  of  this  hill  a  few  of  Huntington's 
Connecticut  Regiment,  that  had  been  upon  the  picket, 
joined  me.  In  order  to  gain  and  secure  the  hill,  I  ordered 
the  troops  to  wheel  to  the  right  and  march  up  the  hill 
abreast.  When  within  about  forty  yards  of  the  summit, 
we  very  unexpectedly  received  a  very  heavy  fire  from  the 
enemy  taken  post  there  before  us,  notwithstanding  the 
forced  march  I  made.  The  enemy's  situation  was  so  very 
advantageous,  the  back  of  the  hill  where  they  had  taken 
post  being  formed  by  nature  into  a  breast-work,  that  had 
they  directed  their  fire  properly  or  been  marksmen,  they 
must  have  cut  off  the  greatest  part  of  my  detachment.  I 
having,  before  I  advanced  the  hill,  posted  a  part  of  my 
small  number  along  the  skirt  of  a  wood  upon  my  right, 
and  left  a  guard  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  to  prevent  my  being 
surrounded,  and  my  retreat  to  the  brigade  in  case  of  ne- 
cessity, being  cut  off",  the  enemy  being  vastly  superior  in 
numbers,  their  detachment  consisting  of  the  Twenty-third 


DOCUMENTS. 


355 


and  Forty-fourth  Regiments  and  part  of  the  Seventeenth. 
Upon  receiving  the  above  heavy  fire,  wliich  continued  very 
warm  and  they  secure  behind  the  hill,  a  small  halt  was 
made,  and  the  detachment  fell  back  a  few  paces.  Here 
Capt.  Stedman,  with  all  the  Delawares,  except  the  Lieu- 
tenants Stewart  and  Harney ^  with  about  sixteen  privates, 
left  me,  and  drew  after  them  some  of  my  own.  The 
remainder,  after  recovering  a  little  from  this,  their  first 
shock,  I  ordered  to  advance,  at  the  same  time  desiring 
them  to  preserve  their  fire  and  aim  aright.  They  imme- 
diately, with  the  resolution  of  veteran  soldiers,  obeyed  the 
order.  The  enemy,  finding  their  opponents  fast  advancing, 
and  determined  to  dispute  the  ground  with  them,  fied  with 
precipitation,  leaving  behind  them  twelve  killed  upon  the 
spot,  and  a  Lieutenant  and  four  privates  wounded.  In 
this  engagement  I  lost  my  worthy  friend  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  [Parry,)  shot  through  the  head,  who  fell  without  a 
groan,  fighting  in  defence  of  his  much  injured  country. 
In  the  midst  of  the  action  I  ordered  four  soldiers  to  carry 
him  as  speedily  as  possible  within  the  lines  at  Brookline. 

My  brave  fellows,  flushed  with  this  advantage,  were  for 
pushing  forward  after  the  flying  enemy;  but  perceiving 
at  about  sixty  yards  from  the  hill  we  had  gained,  across  a 
hollow  way,  a  stone  fence  lined  with  wood,  from  behind 
which  we  might  be  greatly  annoyed,  and  fearing  an  am- 
buscade might  be  there  placed,  I  ordered  not  to  advance 
farther,  but  to  maintain  the  possession  of  the  hill,  where 
kind  nature  had  formed  a  breastwork  nearly  semicircular. 
They  halted,  and  found,  by  a  heavy  fire  from  the  fence,  it 
was  lined  as  I  suspected.  The  fire  was  as  briskly  returned ; 
but  the  enemy  finding  it  too  hot,  and  losing  a  number  of 
men,  retreated  to  and  joined  the  right  of  this  wing  of  their 
Army. 

After  this  first  attack,  which  continued  from  the  first 
fire  about  half  an  hour,  we  brought  from  the  field 


356 


DOCUMENTS. 


six  wounded  soldiers  and  about  twenty  muskets.  The 
wounded  I  placed  in  my  rear,  under  the  shade  of  some 
bushes ;  the  arms  I  distributed  to  such  of  the  soldiers  as 
were  most  indifferently  armed.  The  wounded  Lieutenant 
I  sent,  with  two  soldiers,  to  Lord  Stirling. 

After  placing  some  Sentinels  to  observe  the  further 
movements  of  the  enemy,  if  any  should  be  made,  I  ordered 
my  men,  greatly  fatigued,  to  rest  themselves.  In  about 
twenty  minutes  the  enemy  was  observed  marching  down 
to  make  a  second  attempt  for  the  hill.  The  Sentinels  gave 
the  alarm.  Officers  and  men  immediately  flew  to  arms, 
and  with  remarkable  coolness  and  resolution  sustained 
and  returned  their  fire  for  about  fifteen  minutes,  when  the 
enemy  were  obliged  once  more  to  a  precipitate  flight, 
leaving  behind  them  killed  Lieutenant  Colonel  Grant,  (a 
person,  as  I  afterwards  understood,  much  valued  in  the 
British  army,)  besides  a  number  of  privates,  and  some 
wounded.  Such  of  the  wounded  as  I  thought  might  be 
assisted  I  had  brought  in  and  placed  with  the  rest  in  my 
rear;  one  slightly  through  the  leg  I  sent  with  a  soldier 
to  Lord  Stirling.  I  had  in  this  attack  but  one  private 
wounded,  with  two  balls  through  the  body. 

I  now  sent  my  adjutant,  Mr.  Menigis,  to  his  Lordship, 
with  an  account  of  the  successive  advantages  I  had  gained, 
and  to  request  a  reinforcement,  and  such  further  orders 
as  his  Lordship  should  judge  necessary.  Two  companies 
of  Riflemen  from  Keichlien's  Flying-Camp,  soon  after 
joined  me,  but  were  very  soon  ordered  to  rejoin  their 
regiment,  the  reason  for  which  I  could  not  imagine,  as 
I  stood  in  such  need  of  them.  Very  luckily,  after  our 
second  engagement  our  ammunition  cart,  belonging  to 
Colonel  Huntington's  regiment,  arrived  at  my  post,  of  which 
we  stood  in  great  need,  having  entirely  emptied  our  cart- 
ridge boxes,  and  had  used  several  rounds  of  the  enemy's 
ammunition,  of  which  I  stripped  the  dead  and  wounded 


DOCUMENTS. 


357 


every  time  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  beat  them  off  the 
field.  The  officers  were  extremely  alert,  and  from  the 
ammunition  so  opportunely  arrived,  soon  supplied  their 
men  with  a  sufficient  stock  to  sustain  another  attack,  if 
the  enemy  should  think  proper  to  make  it. 

They  did  not  suffer  us  to  wait  long,  for  in  about  half  an 
hour  we  were  alarmed  by  our  Sentinels  of  their  approach 
the  third  time.  The  eagerness  of  the  officers  and  soldiers 
to  receive  them  deserve  my  warmest  acknowledgements. 
They  were  received  as  usual,  and  as  usual  fled,  after 
another  conflict  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  I  then  was 
determined  to  pursue ;  but  observing  a  regiment  making 
down  to  sustain  them,  which  proved  to  be  the  Forty-Second, 
or  Boyal  Highlanders,  I  thought  best  to  halt  and  prepare  to 
receive  them,  should  they  advance  upon  me;  but  the 
drubbing  their  friends  had  so  repeatedly  received,  I  be- 
lieve, prevented  them,  and  they  seemed  fully  satisfied  to 
have  protected  the  fugitives,  and  of  conducting  what  was 
left,  with  such  of  the  wounded  as  could  crawl  to  them,  to 
the  Army.  In  these  three  attacks  Major  Burd,  who  was 
then  a  prisoner  at  General  GranVs  quarters,  informed  me 
at  New-  York  a  great  number,  both  officers  and  privates, 
were  brought  to  the  Hospital  wounded. 

I  fully  expected  as  did  most  of  my  officers,  that  the 
strength  of  the  British  Army  was  advancing  in  this  quarter 
to  our  lines.  But  how  greatly  were  we  deceived  when 
intelligence  was  received  by  some  scattering  soldiers  that 
the  right  wing  and  centre  of  the  Army,  amongst  which 
were  the  Hessians,  were  advancing  to  surround  us.  This 
we  were  soon  convinced  of  by  an  exceeding  heavy  fire  in 
our  rear.  No  troops  having  been  posted  to  oppose  the 
march  of  this  grand  body  of  the  enemy's  Army,  but 
Colonel  31iles's  two  battalions  of  Rifles,  Colonel  W^7^^5'5  bat- 
talion of  Connecticut,  and  a  part  of  Lutz  ^  Kiechlien^s  batta- 
lions of  the  Pennsylvania  Flying-Camp,  I  once  more  sent  my 


358 


DOCUMENTS. 


adjutant  to  Lord  Stirling^  to  acquaint  him  with  the  last 
success  obtained  by  my  party,  and  to  request  his  further 
orders;  but  receiving  no  answer,  the  Adjutant  not  return- 
ing, and  waiting  near  three  quarters  of  an  hour  for  the 
enemy,  they  not  approaching  in  front,  but  those  in  the  rear 
drawing  near,  I  thought  it  most  prudent  to  join  the  Brigade, 
where  I  might  be  of  more  advantage  than  in  my  present 
situation.  I  therefore  ordered  a  march,  leaving  upon 
the  field  killed  Lieutenant-Colonel  Grant  and  about  fifty 
others,  and  a  number  wounded  and  ten  privates  wounded 
which  I  had  brought  at  sundry  times  into  my  rear,  who  I 
suppose  were  soon  after  found  by  their  friends.  What 
other  officers  were  killed  or  wounded  here  I  know  not, 
except  a  Captain  Kennedy,  of  the  Forty-Fourth  and  the 
Lieutenant  sent  to  Lord  Stirling. 

How  great  was  my  surprise  I  leave  any  one  to  judge, 
when,  upon  coming  to  the  ground  occupied  by  our  troops, 
to  find  it  evacuated  and  the  troops  gone  ofl',  without  my 
receiving  the  least  intelligence  of  the  movement,  or  order 
what  to  do,  although  I  had  so  shortly  before  sent  my  Adju- 
tant to  the  General  for  that  purpose.  The  General  must 
have  known,  by  my  continuing  in  my  post  at  the  hill,  I 
must,  with  all  my  party,  inevitably  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the 
enemy.  An  opportunity  yet  aftbrded,  with  risking  the 
lives  of  some  of  us,  of  getting  ofi".  But  perceiving  a  body 
of  the  enemy  advancing,  which  proved  to  be  the  English 
Grenadiers,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Monckton,  to  fall 
upon  the  rear  of  our  brigade,  which  I  could  see  at  a  dis- 
tance, I  ordered  my  party  once  more  to  advance  and  sup- 
port a  few  brave  fellows,  endeavoring  to  prevent,  but 
without  success,  the  destruction  of  their  countrymen.  The 
timely  assistance  of  a  number  often  tried,  and  as  often 
victorious,  encouraged  those  already  engaged,  and  obliged 
the  enemy  to  quit  the  ground  they  had  gained  and  retire 
to  a  fence  lined  with  trees.    Here  we  kept  up  a  close  fire. 


DOCUMENTS. 


359 


until  the  brigade  had  retreated  out  of  our  sight,  when,  not 
being  able,  through  the  weakness  of  my  party,  already 
greatly  fatigued,  and  once  more  destitute  of  ammunition, 
to  break  through  the  enemy,  and  finding  my  retreat  after 
the  brigade  cut  off,  I  filed  off  to  the  right,  to  endeavour, 
if  possible,  to  escape  through  that  quarter.  Lieutenant 
Caldwell,  in  this  last  attack,  received  a  slight  wound  in  the 
hand;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jlonckton,  of  the  Grenadiers, 
received  a  wound  through  the  body. 

After  marching  about  half  a  mile  to  the  right,  fell  in 
with  General  Parsons  and  a  small  number  by  him  collected. 
In  consultation  with  the  General  it  was  determined  to 
break  through  the  enemy,  who  were  here  within  a  little 
way  of  us,  and  endeavour  to  make  up  the  Island.  I  then 
pushed  off,  with  such  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  that  were 
willing  to  run  this  hazard.  "WTiat  became  of  General  Par- 
sons I  know  not,  never  having  seen  him  since.  I  had  not 
gone  above  two  hundred  yards,  when  a  Highlander  made 
his  appearance  in  the  edge  of  a  wood.  I  instantly  pre- 
sented, as  did  some  of  those  with  me.  The  fellow  clubbed 
his  firelock  and  begged  for  quarter.  I  had  hardly  time 
to  assure  him  of  it,  when  I  found  him  to  be  a  decoy  sent 
from  a  paiiy  of  Highlanders,  within  fifty  yards  of  our  right. 
I  immediately  jumped  forward,  ordering  the  party  to  fol- 
low, taking  with  me  the  Highlander's  musket,  which  I  had, 
fortunately  for  me,  deprived  him  of.  We  received  in  our 
flight  the  fire  of  this  party,  and  sundry  others  through 
which  we  were  obliged  to  run  for  near  two  miles.  What 
of  my  party,  or  if  any,  in  this  flight  were  killed,  wounded, 
or  taken,  I  cannot  tell,  as  it  is  uncertain  how  many,  or 
who  they  were,  that  followed  me.  I  imagined  that  if  I 
could  cross  the  Flathush  road,  I  could  then  make  my  es- 
cape by  Hell-Gate,  but  coming  to  the  road  found  it  every- 
where strictly  guarded.  After  trying  the  road  in  several 
places,  both  to  the  right  and  left,  and  finding  no  passage. 


360 


DOCUMENTS. 


we  retired  to  an  eminence  about  sixty  perches  from  the 
road,  to  consult  whether  best  to  conceal  ourselves  in  the 
adjacent  swamps  or  divide  into  small  parties,  when  we 
espied  a  party  of  Hessians,  who  had  discovered  and  were 
endeavouring  to  surround  us.  The  opinion  we  had  formed 
of  these  troops  determined  us  to  run  any  risk  rather  than 
fall  into  their  hands ;  and  finding  after  all  our  struggles 
no  prospect  of  escaping,  we  determined  to  throw  ourselves 
into  the  mercy  of  a  battalion  of  Highlanders  posted  upon 
an  eminence  near  the  Flatbush  road,  not  far  from  where 
we  had  last  sat.  This  we  did  about  five  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  to  the  number  of  twenty-three,  thereby  escaping 
the  pursuit  of  a  party  of  Hessians,  who  came  to  the  High- 
landers immediately  after  our  surrender.  We  had  re- 
mained with  this  regiment  above  twenty  minutes,  during 
which  time  the  officers  and  men  behaved  very  civil,  when 
we  were  conducted,  under  a  strong  guard,  through  the 
right  wing  of  the  enemy's  Army  to  the  Head-Quarters  of 
General  Howe  at  Bedford;  receiving,  as  we  passed,  the 
most  scurrilous  and  abusive  language,  both  from  the  offi- 
cers, soldiers,  and  camp-ladies,  every  one  at  that  time  turn- 
ing hangman,  and  demanding  of  the  guard  why  we  were 
taken,  why  we  were  not  put  to  the  bayonet,  and  hanged, 
&c.,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

Serenaded  thus  by  the  musical  tongues  of  Britons,  we 
arrived  at  Bedford,  where,  for  sixteen  besides  myself,  we 
were  favoured  with  a  soldier's  tent,  in  which  we  had  not 
room  to  lie  down,  and  nothing  allowed  us  for  covering. 
To  sum  up  the  whole,  we  were  consigned  to  the  care  of  the 
most  infamous  of  mankind,  the  Provost-Marshal,  one 
Cunningham. 

Thus  ended  this  most  unfortunate  27th  of  August,  1776, 
during  which  myself  and  my  detachment  underwent  great 
fatigue,  and  escaped  death  in  a  variety  of  instances.  And 
I  am  happy  to  reflect  that  during  the  whole  of  this  peril- 


DOCUMENTS. 


361 


ous  day,  one  and  all,  to  the  utmost  of  their  powers  and 
abilities,  exerted  themselves  in  performing  their  several 
duties,  for  which  I  shall  ever  retain  a  grateful  sense,  and 
do,  for  and  in  behalf  of  my  country,  return  them  my  sin- 
cere acknowledgments,  as  I  flatter  myself,  under  God,  they 
were  the  means  of  twice  preserving  the  brigade  from 
being  cut  to  pieces :  first,  in  preventing  the  troops  in  which 
Grant  bore  a  command  from  falling  upon  the  left  flank ; 
and  lastly,  in  so  bravely  attacking  the  Grenadiers,  where 
31onckton  commanded,  and  thereby  preventing  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  rear.  In  the  first  Grant  fell,  in  the  latter  was 
3Ionckto7i  wounded.  What  followed  since  the  27th,  I 
have  not  now  time  to  insert ;  shall  leave  it  till  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you. 

S.  J.  Atlee. 

Of  the  Grenadiers,  I  hear  there  were  besides  officers, 
nearly  sixty  killed  and  wounded. 

[Americun  Archives,  vol.  i,  5th  Series,  fol.  1251.] 


[  m.  17.  ] 

Burning  of  Judge  Leffert's  House.    Gen.  Sidlivan's  Account 
of  the  Skirmish  at  FJxitbush, 

Long  Island,  Aug.  23d,  1776. 

Dear  General  :  This  afternoon  the  enemy  formed,  and 
attempted  to  pass  the  road  by  Bedford.  A  smart  fire 
between  them  and  the  Riflemen  ensued.  The  officer  sent 
off"  for  a  reinforcement,  which  I  ordered  immediately.  A 
number  of  Musketry  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  Rifle- 
men, whose  fire,  with  that  of  our  field  pieces,  caused  a 
retreat  of  the  enemy.  Our  men  followed  them  to  the 
46 


362 


DOCUMENTS. 


house  of  Judge  Lefferts  (where  a  number  of  them  had 
taken  lodgings,)  drove  them  out,  and  burnt  the  house  and 
a  number  of  other  buildings  contiguous.  They  think  they 
killed  a  number;  and,  as  evidence  of  it,  they  produce  three 
officers'  hangers,  a  carbine,  and  one  dead  body,  with  a 
considerable  sum  of  money  in  pocket.  I  have  ordered  a 
party  out  for  prisoners  to-night.  We  have  driven  them  half 
a  mile  from  their  former  station.  These  things  argue 
well  for  us,  and  I  hope  are  so  many  preludes  to  a  general 
victory. 

Dear  General,  I  am,  with  much  esteem,  your  very  humble 
servant 

Jno.  Sullivan. 

To  General  Washington. 
[American  Archives,  vol.  i,  5th  Series,  fol.  1136.] 

[The  foregoing  letter  was  submitted  to  Congress  by 
General  Washington,  with  the  following  communication.] 

New  York,  August  24,  1776. 

To  the  President  of  Congress. 

Sir  :  The  irregularity  of  the  posts  prevents  your  re- 
ceiving the  early  and  constant  intelligence  it  is  my  wish  to 
communicate.  This  is  the  third  letter  which  you  will  pro- 
bably receive  from  me  by  the  same  post.  The  first  was  of 
little  or  no  consequence,  but  that  of  yesterday  gave  you 
the  best  information  I  had  been  able  to  obtain  of  the 
enemy's  landing  and  movements  upon  Long-Island.  Hav- 
ing occasion  to  go  over  thither  yesterday,  I  sent  my  letter 
to  the  post  office  at  the  usual  hour,  (being  informed  that 
the  rider  was  expected  every  moment,  and  would  go  out 
again  directly,)  but  in  the  evening,  when  I  sent  to  inquire, 
none  had  come  in. 

I  now  enclose  you  a  report  made  to  me  by  General  Sul- 
livan after  I  left  Long-Island  yesterday.    I  do  not  conceive 


DOCUMENTS. 


363 


that  the  enemy's  whole  force  was  in  motion,  but  a  de- 
tached party  rather.  I  have  sent  over-four  more  regiments, 
with  boats,  to  be  ready  to  reinforce  the  troops  under 
General  Sullivan,  or  to  return  to  this  place  if  the  remainder 
of  the  fleet  at  the  watering  place  should  push  up  to  the 
city,  which  hitherto  (I  mean  since  the  landing  upon  Long- 
Island)  they  have  not  had  in  their  power  to  do,  on  account 
of  the  wind,  which  has  either  been  ahead,  or  too  small, 
when  the  tide  has  served.  I  have  nothing  further  to 
trouble  the  Congress  with  at  present,  than  that  I  am  their 
and  your  most  obedient,  humble  servant. 

Go.  Washington. 

[lUd.-] 


[Washington  also  wrote  to  Gen.  Schuyler,  on  the  24th, 
an  account  of  the  skirmish  at  Flatbush,  with  some  addi- 
tional particulars.] 

*  *  *  On  Wednesday  night  and  Thursday  morning 
a  considerable  body  of  the  enemy,  said  to  be  eight  or  nine 
thousand,  landed  at  Gravesend  Bay ,  on  Long-Island,  They 
have  approached  within  three  miles  of  our  lines ;  and 
yesterday  there  was  some  skirmishing  between  a  detach- 
ment of  them,  and  a  party  from  our  troops.  Their  de- 
tachments were  obliged  to  give  ground,  and  were  pursued 
as  far  as  where  they  had  a  post  at  a  Judge  Lefferis's. 
His  house  and  outhouses  served  as  quarters  for  them,  and 
were  burned  by  our  people.  We  sustained  no  loss  in  this 
affair,  that  I  have  heard  of,  except  having  two  men 
slightly  wounded.  Our  people  say  the  enemy  met  with 
more ;  they  found  one  dead  body,  in  the  habit  of  a  sol- 
dier, with  a  good  deal  of  money  in  his  pocket,  and  got 


364 


DOCUMENTS. 


three  hangers  and  a  fusee.  They  fired  a  shell  from  a 
howitz,  which  fell  on  and  burst  in  a  house  where  some  of 
the  enemy  were ;  but  whether  they  were  injured  by  it,  I 
have  not  learned.  A  firing  has  been  heard  this  morning, 
but  know  nothing  of  the  event. 

Go.  Washington. 

[IMd.,  1142.] 


[  No.  18.  ] 

Extracts  from  tioo  Letters  from  an  Officer  in  Col.  Atlee's 
Battalion,  of  Pennsylvania. 

Dated  New  York,  August  27,  1776. 

Yesterday  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  of  our  men 
went  as  a  guard  to  a  place  called  Red  Lion,  on  Long  Island. 
About  eleven  o'clock  at  night  the  sentries  descried  two 
men  coming  up  a  water-melon  patch,  upon  which  our  men 
fired  upon  them ;  the  enemy  then  retreated,  and  about 
one  o'clock  advanced  with  about  two  or  three  hundred 
men,  and  endeavoured  to  surround  our  guard ;  but  they 
being  watchful  gave  them  two  or  three  fires,  and  retreated 
to  alarm  the  remainder  of  the  battalion,  except  one  Lieu- 
tenant and  about  fifteen  men,  who  have  not  been  heard 
of  as  yet.  About  four  o'clock  this  morning  the  alarm 
was  given  by  beating  to  arms,  when  the  remainder  of  our 
battalion,  accompanied  by  the  Delaware  and  Maryland 
battalions,  went  to  the  place  where  our  men  retreated 
from.  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  on  this  side,  we  saw  the 
enemy,  when  we  got  into  the  woods  (our  battalion  being 
the  advance  guard)  amidst  the  incessant  fire  of  their  field 
pieces,  loaded  with  grape  shot,  which  continued  till  ten 
o'clock.    The  Marylanders  on  their  left  flank,  and  we  on 


DOCUMENTS. 


365 


their  right,  kept  up  a  constant  fire  amidst  all  their  cannon, 
and  saw  several  of  them  fall ;  but  they  being  too  many  for 
us,  we  retreated  a  little,  and  then  made  a  stand.  Our 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  Parry,  was  shot  through  the  head,  and 
I  was  under  the  necessity  of  retreating  with  him  to  this 
place,  in  order  to  secure  his  eifects.  Since  which  I  have 
heard  the  enemy  are  within  six  hundred  yards  of  our  lines ; 
which  I  think  will  cost  them  some  number  of  men  before 
they  gain  them. 

[American  Archives,  5tli  Series,  fol.  1183,  vol.  i.] 


New  York,  August  29, 1776. 

I  have  just  now  come  over  to  this  place  about  some 
business,  and  embrace  the  opportunity  of  letting  you 
know  that  I  wrote  you  on  the  27th  instant,  giving  some 
particulars  of  our  engagement.  I  now  have  to  acquaint 
you  that  the  enemy,  endeavouring  to  force  our  lines,  met 
with  a  warmer  reception  than  they  thought  of ;  for  the 
batteries  began  to  play,  and  mowed  them  down  like  grass, 
when  they  retreated,  and  our  Army  cried  out,  "  the  day 
is  our  own  ; "  but  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that  Generals 
Sullivan  and  Stirling  are  taken  prisoners,  and  that  we  have 
missing  (which  I  apprehend  are  also  taken)  Colonel  Ailee, 
Captain  Howell,  Captain  Herbert,  Captain  Murray,  and 
Captain  Nice,  Lieutenant  Finney,  Ensign  Hustin,  and  Dr. 
Davis,  with  eighty  privates ;  so  you  may  judge  what  a  misera- 
ble battalion  we  must  have.  There  is  also  missing  from  the 
Rifle  battalion  Colonel  Miles  and  Colonel  Piper,  with  seve- 
ral other  officers,  whose  names  I  have  not  as  yet  heard, 
and  a  number  of  privates.  The  enemy,  by  accounts  which 
we  have  received,  have  lost  (killed,  wounded,  and  taken 
prisoners)  about  eight  hundred  men,  among  whom  is 


366 


DOCUMENTS. 


General  Grant  killed.  We  expect  every  hour  a  second 
engagement,  which  I  pray  God  may  be  more  prosperous 
on  our  side  than  the  last ;  for  besides  what  I  have  men- 
tioned, the  Deleivare  and  Maryland  battalions  suffered  much. 

[American  Archives,  vol.  i,  fol.  1212.] 


[  No.  19.  ] 

The  Burning  of  Houses  at  Flaibush,  and  Marauding  by  the 

Americans. 

Head  Quarters,  25tli  of  August,  1776. 

To  Major  General  Putnam. 

Sir:  It  was  with  no  small  degree  of  concern,  that  I  per- 
ceived yesterday,  a  scattering,  unmeaning,  and  wasteful 
fire  from  our  people,  at  the  enemy.  No  one  good  conse- 
quence can  attend  such  irregularities,  but  several  bad 
ones  will  inevitably  follow  from  them.  Had  it  not  been 
for  this  un soldierlike  and  disorderly  practice,  we  have 
the  greatest  reason  imaginable  to  believe,  that  numbers 
of  deserters  would  have  left  the  enemy's  army  last  year ; 
but  fear  prevented  them  from  approaching  our  lines  then, 
and  must  forever  continue  to  operate  in  like  manner, 
whilst  every  soldier  conceives  himself  at  liberty  to  fire 
when  and  at  what  he  pleases.  This  is  not  the  only 
nor  the  greatest  evil  resulting  from  the  practice ;  for,  as 
we  do  not  know  the  hour  of  the  enemy's  approach  to  our 
lines,  but  have  every  reason  to  apprehend  that  it  will  be 
sudden  and  violent  whenever  attempted,  we  shall  have 
our  men  so  scattered,  and  more  than  probable  without 
ammunition,  that  the  consequences  must  prove  fatal  to  us ; 


DOCUMENTS. 


367 


besides  this,  there  will  be  no  possibility  of  distinguishing 
between  a  real  and  a  false  alarm. 

I  must  therefore,  Sir,  in  earnest  terms  desire  you  to  call 
the  colonels  and  commanding  officers  of  corps,  without 
loss  of  time  before  you ;  and  let  them  afterwards  do  the 
same  by  their  respective  officers,  and  charge  them,  in  ex- 
press and  positive  terms,  to  stop  these  irregularities,  as 
they  value  the  good  of  the  service,  their  own  honor,  and 
the  safety  of  the  army,  which,  under  God,  depends  wholly 
upon  the  good  order  and  government  that  is  observed  in 
it.  At  the  same  time,  I  would  have  you  form  a  proper 
line  of  defense  round  your  encampment  and  works  on  the 
most  advantageous  ground.  Your  guards  which  compose 
this  defence,  are  to  be  particularly  instructed  in  their  duty, 
and  a  brigadier  of  the  day  is  to  remain  constantly  upon 
the  lines,  that  he  may  be  upon  the  spot  to  command,  and 
see  that  orders  are  executed.  Field-officers  should  also 
be  appointed  to  go  the  rounds,  and  report  the  situation  of 
the  guards ;  and  no  person  should  be  allowed  to  pass  be- 
yond the  guards,  without  special  order  in  writing. 

By  restraining  the  loose,  disorderly,  and  unsoldierlike 
firing  before  mentioned,  I  do  not  mean  to  discourage 
partisans  and  scouting  parties ;  on  the  contrary  I  wish  to 
see  a  spirit  of  this  sort  prevailing,  under  proper  regula- 
tions, and  officers,  either  commissioned  or  non-commis- 
sioned, as  cases  shall  require,  to  be  directed  by  yourself 
or  licensed  by  the  brigadier  of  the  day  upon  the  spot,  to 
be  sent  upon  this  service.  Such  skirmishing  as  may  be 
effected  in  this  manner  will  be  agreeable  to  the  rules  of 
propriety,  and  may  be  attended  with  salutary  effects,  inas- 
much as  it  will  inure  the  troops  to  fatigue  and  danger, 
will  harass  the  enemy,  and  may  make  prisoners  and  pre- 
vent their  parties  from  getting  the  horses  and  cattle  from 
the  interior  parts  of  the  Island,  which  are  objects  of  infi- 
nite importance  to  us,  especially  the  two  last.    All  the 


368 


DOCUMENTS. 


men  upon  duty  are  to  be  compelled  to  remain  in  or  near 
their  respective  camps,  or  quarters,  that  they  may  turn  out 
at  a  moment's  warning ;  nothing  being  more  probable, 
than  that  the  enemy  will  allow  little  time  enough  to  pre- 
pare for  the  attack.  The  officers  also  are  to  exert  them- 
selves to  the  utmost  to  prevent  every  kind  of  abuse  to 
private  property,  and  to  bring  every  offender  to  the  punish- 
ment he  deserves.  Shameful  it  is  to  find,  that  those  men, 
who  have  come  hither  in  defence  of  the  rights  of  mankind, 
should  turn  invaders  of  it  by  destroying  the  substance  of 
their  friends.  The  burning  of  houses  where  the  apparent 
good  of  the  service  is  not  promoted  by  it,  and  the  pillag- 
ing of  them,  at  all  times,  and  upon  all  occasions,  are  to  be 
discountenanced  and  punished  with  the  utmost  severity. 
In  short,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  that  men  who  have  property  of 
their  own,  and  a  regard  for  the  rights  of  others,  will  shud- 
der at  the  thought  of  rendering  any  man's  situation,  to 
whose  protection  he  had  come,  more  insufterable  than  his 
open  and  avowed  enemy  would  make  it ;  when  by  duty 
and  every  rule  of  humanity  they  ought  to  aid,  and  not 
oppress,  the  distressed  in  their  habitations.  The  distinc- 
tion between  a  well  regulated  army  and  a  mob,  is  the 
good  order  and  discipline  of  the  former,  and  the  licentious 
and  disorderly  behaviour  of  the  latter.  Men,  therefore, 
who  are  not  employed  as  mere  hirelings,  but  have  stepped 
forth  in  defence  of  everything,  that  is  dear  and  valuable 
not  only  to  themselves  but  to  posterity,  should  take  un- 
common pains  to  conduct  themselves  with  the  greatest 
propriety  and  good  order,  as  their  honor  and  reputation 
call  loudly  upon  them  to  do  it. 

The  wood  next  to  Eed  Hook  should  be  well  attended 
to.  Put  some  of  the  most  disorderly  riflemen  into  it. 
The  militia  are  the  most  indifferent  troops,  those  I  mean 
who  are  least  tutored  and  have  seen  least  service,  and  will  do 
for  the  interior  works,  whilst  your  best  men  should  at  all 


DOCUMENTS. 


369 


hazards  prevent  the  enemy's  passing  the  wood,  and  ap- 
proaching your  works.  The  woods  should  be  secured  by 
abatis  where  necessary,  to  make  the  enemy's  approach  as 
difficult  as  possible.  Traps  and  ambuscades  should  be 
laid  for  their  parties,  if  youfind  they  are  sent  out  after  cattle. 

I  am,  &c., 
Go.  Washington. 

[Sparks's  Letters  of  Washington,  vol.  iv,  page  63.] 


[  ISTo.  20.  ] 

Gen,  Sullivan  at  the  Battle  of  Valley  Grove. 

[Gen.  John  Sullivan  was  never  subjected  to  a  formal 
trial,  though  he  felt  it  necessary  to  offer  considerable  evi- 
dence of  his  good  conduct  in  the  various  affairs  in  which 
he  participated.  On  the  25th  of  Oct.,  1777,  he  wrote  to 
the  President  of  Congress,  vigorously  defending  himself 
from  the  charges  made  against  him  on  the  jioor  of  the 
House,  and  in  this  letter  we  obtain  his  only  report  of  the 
battle  of  the  27th.] 

"  Camp  near  White  Marsh,  Oct.  25,  1777. 

"  Much  Esteemed  Sir  :  In  a  letter,  from  Mr.  Burk,  mem- 
ber from  i^orth  Carolina,  dated  the  12th  inst,  he  informs 
me  that  he  has  represented  to  Congress  that  I  was  posted 
with  the  command  on  the  right  wing  of  our  Army,  pre- 
vious to  the  battle  of  Brandywine. 

"  2d.  That  I  was  early  in  the  day  cautioned  by  the  Com- 
mander in  Chief  to  be  particularly  attentive  to  the  enemy's 
motions,  who  he  supposed  would  attempt  to  cross  higher 
up  the  Creek :  and  that  I  was  furnished  with  Light 
47 


370 


DOCUMENTS. 


Troops  for  that  purpose,  which  I  neglected,  and  suffered 
to  come  upon  me  by  a  route  I  never  expected. 

^'  8d.  That  I  conveyed  false  intelHgence  to  the  General, 
which  caused  him  to  alter  his  dispositions,  and  brought  on 
a  defeat. 

"4th.  That  when  the  mistake  was  at  length  discovered, 
I  brought  up  my  Troops  by  a  circuitous  march,  and  in  a 
disorder  from  which  they  never  recovered. 

"  5th.  That  he  heard  my  officers  lamenting  in  the  bitter- 
est terms  that  they  were  cursed  with  such  a  Commander, 
whose  evil  conduct  was  ever  productive  of  misfortune  to 
the  Army. 

"  6th.  That  my  Troops  had  no  confidence  in  my  conduct. 

"  7th.  That  I  had  not  sufficient  talents  for  my  rank  and 
office ;  that  I  am  void  of  judgment  and  foresight  in  con- 
cocting, of  deliberate  vigor  in  executing,  and  of  presence 
of  mind  under  accidents  and  emergencies,  from  which  has 
arisen  my  repeated  ill  success." 

[After  illustrating  the  injustice  of  these  charges  by  a 
description  of  the  various  affairs,  where  he  had  commanded, 
he  says :] 

"  I  know  it  has  been  generally  reported  that  I  com- 
manded on  Long  Island  when  the  actions  happened  there. 
This  is  by  no  means  true ;  General  Putnam  had  taken  the 
command  from  me  four  days  before  the  action ;  Lord  Stir- 
ling commanded  the  main  body  without  the  lines ;  I  was 
to  have  command  under  General  Putnam  within  the  lines. 
I  was  very  uneasy  about  a  road  through  which  I  had  often 
foretold  the  enemy  would  come,  but  could  not  persuade 
others  to  be  of  my  opinion.  I  went  to  the  Hill  near 
Flatbush  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy,  and,  with  a  piquet 
of  four  hundred  men,  was  surrounded  by  the  enemy, 
who  had  advanced  by  the  very  road  I  had  foretold,  and 
which  I  had  paid  horsemen  fifty  dollars  for  patrolling  by 


DOCUMENTS. 


371 


night,  while  I  had  the  command,  as  I  had  no  foot  for  the 
purpose,  for  which  I  was  never  reimbursed,  as  it  was  sup- 
posed unnecessary.  What  resistance  I  made  with  these 
400  men  against  the  British  Army,  I  leave  to  the  officers 
who  were  with  me  to  declare.  Let  it  suffice  for  me  to 
say,  the  opposition  of  the  small  party  lasted  from  half  past 
nine  to  twelve  o'clock.  I  challenge  any  person  to  mention 
a  single  instance  of  my  being  unfortunate,  except  in 
common  with  the  Army;  without  them  I  have  done  nothing, 
except  on  Staten  Island."       *       *  * 

"P.  S.  The  reason  of  the  few  Troops  being  on  Long 
Island,  was  because  it  was  generally  supposed  that  the 
enemy's  landing  there  was  ^nly  a  feint  to  draw  our  Troops 
there,  that  they  might  the  more  easily  possess  themselves 
of  New  York.  I  have  often  urged  both  by  word  and 
writing,  that,  as  the  enemy  had  doubtless  both  these  objects 
in  view,  they  would  first  try  for  Long  Island,  which  com- 
manded the  other,  and  then  l^ew  York  (which  was  com- 
pletely commanded  by  it)  would  fall  of  course.  But  in 
this  I  was  unhappy  enough  to  differ  from  almost  every 
officer  in  the  Army  till  the  event  proved  my  conjectures 
were  just." 

[In  another  letter  written  ISiov.  9th,  1777,  after  bitterly 
rehearsing  the  subjects  of  his  grievances,  and  the  details 
of  his  services.  Gen.  Sullivan  says :]  "  I  had  the  misfortune 
on  Long  Island,  with  four  hundred  men,  to  combat  with 
the  greater  part  of  the  British  Army  for  near  three  hours, 
having  been  surrounded,  by  the  enemy's  coming  by  a  route 
which  I  often  predicted,  and  which  I  had  previous  to  Gen. 
Putnam's  coming  over  and  taking  the  command  from 
me,  paid  fifty  dollars  to  horsemen  to  patrol.  I  was  so  per- 
suaded of  the  enemy's  coming  the  route,  that  I  went  to 
examine,  and  was  surrounded  by  the  British  army,  and 
after  a  long  and  severe  engagement  was  made  prisoner." 


372  DOCUMENTS. 

[  "With  these  meagre  and  unsatisfactory  details  of  the  con- 
test at  Valley  Grove,  we  must  now  rest,  expressing  a  wish 
that  the  General  could  have  found  it  convenient  to  have 
prepared  a  full  and  circumstantial  account.  The  letters 
from  which  these  fragments  have  heen  taken,  may,  with 
other  curious  documents,  be  found  in  his  papers  relating 
to  the  battle  of  the  Brandywine.] 

[Pentisylmnia  His.  Soc.  Bulletin,  vol.  i,  No.  8.] 


[  m.  21.  ] 

Accounts  ofthe  Landing  of  the  British,  and  the  Thunder  Storm 

of  Aug.  21. 

Dated  August  22,  1776. 

"This  night  we  have  reason  to  expect  the  grand  attack 
from  our  barbarian  enemies;  the  reasons  why,  follow: 
The  night  before  last,  a  lad  went  over  to  Staten-Island, 
supped  there  with  a  friend,  and  got  safe  back  again  undis- 
covered ;  soon  after  he  went  to  General  Washington,  and 
upon  good  authority  reported,  that  the  English  Army, 
amounting  to  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand,  had  embarked, 
and  were  in  readiness  for  an  engagement ;  that  seven  ships 
of  the  line,  and  a  number  of  other  vessels  of  war,  were  to 
surround  this  city,  and  cover  their  landing ;  that  the  Hes- 
sians, being  fifteen  thousand,  were  to  remain  on  the  Island, 
and  attack  Perth- Amhoy,  Elizaheth'Town  Point,  and  Bergen, 
while  the  main  body  were  doing  their  best  here ;  that  the 
Highlanders  expected  America  was  already  conquered,  and 
that  they  were  only  to  come  over  and  settle  on  our  lands, 
for  which  reason  they  had  brought  their  churns,  ploughs, 
&c. ;  being  deceived,  they  had  refused  fighting,  upon 
which  account  General  Hoioe  had  shot  one,  hung  five  or 
six,  and  flogged  many. 


DOCUMENTS. 


373 


"  Last  evening,  in  a  violent  thunder  storm,  Mr.  

(a  very  intelligent  person)  ventured  over.  He  brings  mucli 
the  same  account  as  the  above  lad,  with  this  addition,  that 
all  the  horses  on  the  Island  were,  by  Howe's  orders,  killed, 
barrelled  up,  and  put  on  board,  the  wretches  thinking 
that  they  could  get  no  landing  here,  and  of  consequence 
be  soon  out  of  provision.  That  the  Tories  were  used 
cruelly,  and  with  the  Highlanders  were  compelled  to  go 
on  board  the  ships  to  fight  in  the  character  of  common 
soldiers  against  us.  The  British  Army  are  prodigiously 
incensed  against  the  Tories,  and  curse  them  as  the  instru- 
ments of  the  war  now  raging.    Mr.  further  informs, 

that  last  night  the  fleet  were  to  come  up,  but  that  the 
thunder-storm  prevented.  The  truth  of  this  appears,  from 
the  circumstance  of  about  three  thousand  red-coats  land- 
ing at  ten  o'clock  this  morning  on  Long  Island,  where,  by 
this  time,  it  is  supposed  our  people  are  hard  at  it.  There 
is  an  abundance  of  smock  to-day  on  Long  Island,  our  folks 
having  set  fire  to  stacks  of  hay,  &c.,  to  prevent  the 
enemy's  being  benefited  in  case  they  get  any  advantage 
against  us.  All  the  troops  in  the  city  are  in  high  spirits, 
and  have  been  under  arms  most  of  the  day,  as  the  fleet 
have  been  in  motion,  and  are  now,  as  is  generally  thought, 
only  waiting  for  a  change  of  tide.  Forty-eight  hours  or 
less,  I  believe,  will  determine  it  as  to  Neic-  York,  one  way 
or  the  other. 

"  The  thunder-storm  of  last  evening  was  one  of  the  most 
dreadful  I  ever  heard ;  it  lasted  from  seven  to  ten  o'clock. 
Several  claps  struck  in  and  about  the  city ;  many  houses 
were  damaged;  several  lives  lost.  Three  ofB.cers,  a  Captain 
and  two  Lieutenants,  belonging  to  Colonel  McDougaWs 
regiment,  encamped  opposite  to  us,  were  struck  instantly 
dead,  the  points  of  their  swords  for  several  inches  melted, 
with  a  few  silver  dollars  they  had  in  their  pockets ;  they 
(the  persons)  were  seemingly  roasted.    A  dog  in  the  same 


374 


DOCUMENTS. 


tent  was  also  killed  ;  a  soldier  near  it  struck  blind,  deaf, 
and  dumb.  One  in  the  main  street  was  killed,  as  likewise 
ten  on  Long  Island;  two  or  three  were  much  burnt  and 
greatly  hurt.    When  God  speaks,  who  can  but  fear  ? " 

[^American  Archives,  5tli  Series,  vol.  i,  1111.] 


Extract  from  a  Letter 

Dated  New  York,  Aug.  26,  1776. 
"  Wednesday  evening  last  we  had  here  as  violent  a  thun- 
der gust  as  has  been  remembered  by  the  oldest  man  now 
living  amongst  us.  The  lightning  struck  a  markee  in 
General  McDougalVs  camp,  near  the  Bull 's  Head  in  the 
Bowery,  and  instantly  killed  Captain  Van  Wyck  and  his 
two  Lieutenants  Versereau  and  Lepyster.  A  soldier  named 
Ephraim  Bartlet  was  also  killed  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Hallet  in  Hanover  Square,  and  several  others  much  hurt. 
We  also  hear  four  men  were  killed  on  Long  Island  and 
some  houses  and  barns  burnt  near  Ihppan/' 

[lUd.,  1163.] 


[  m.  22.  ] 

Announcement  of  the  Landing  of  the  British  to  Gov.  Trumbull 
by  Gen.  Washington. 

New  York,  August  24,  1776. 
Sir  :  On  Thursday  last  the  enemy  landed  a  body  of  troops, 
supposed  to  amount  (from  the  best  accounts  I  have  been 


DOCUMENTS. 


375 


able  to  obtain)  to  eight  or  nine  thousand  men,  at  Gh^avesend 
Bay  on  Long-Island^  ten  miles  distance  from  our  works  on 
the  Island,  and  immediately  marched  through  the  open 
lands  to  Flaibiish,  where  they  are  now  enqamped.  They 
are  distant  about  three  miles  from  our  lines,  and  have 
woods  and  broken  grounds  to  pass  (which  we  have  lined) 
before  they  can  get  to  them.  Some  skirmishing  has 
happened  between  their  advanced  parties  and  oilrs,  in 
which  we  have  always  obtained  an  advantage.  What  the 
real  designs  of  the  enemy  are,  I  am  not  yet  able  to  de- 
termine. My  opinion  of  the  matter  is,  that  they  mean  to 
attack  our  works  on  the  Island  and  this  city  at  the  same 
time,  and  that  the  troops  at  Flaihush  are  waiting  in  those 
plains  till  the  wind  and  tide  (which  have  not  yet  served 
together)  will  favour  the  movement  of  the  shipping  to  this 
place  :  others  think  they  will  bend  their  principal  force 
against  our  lines  on  the  Island,  which,  if  carried,  will 
greatly  facilitate  their  designs  upon  this  city.  This  also 
being  very  probable,  I  have  thrown  what  force  I  can  over, 
without  leaving  myself  too  much  exposed  here ;  for  our 
whole  number  (if  the  intelligence  we  get  from  deserters,  &c., 
be  true)  falls  short  of  that  of  the  enemy  ;  consequently  the 
defence  of  our  own  works,  and  the  approaches  to  them,  is  all 
we  can  aim  at.  This,  then,  in  a  manner,  leaves  the  whole 
Island  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  and  of  course  of  the 
supplies  it  is  capable  of  affording  them.  Under  these 
circumstances,  would  it  be  practicable  for  your  Govern- 
ment to  throw  a  body  of  one  thousand  or  more  men  across 
the  Sound,  to  harass  the  enemy  in  their  rear  or  upon  their 
flanks  ?  This  would  annoy  them  exceedingly,  at  the  same 
time  that  a  valuable  end,  to  wit,  that  of  preventing  their 
parties  securing  the  stocks  of  cattle,  &c.,  would  be  answered 
by  it;  the  cattle  to  be  removed  or  killed.  The  knowledge 
I  have  of  the  extraordinary  exertions  of  your  State  upon 
all  occasions,  does  not  permit  me  to  require  this,  not 


376 


DOCUMENTS. 


knowing  how  far  it  is  practicable ;  I  only  offer  it,  therefore 
as  a  matter  for  your  consideration,  and  of  great  pnblick 
utility,  if  it  can  be  accomplished. 

The  enemy,  if  my  intelligence  from  Staten  Island  be 
true,  are  at  this  time  rather  distressed  on  account  of  pro- 
visions ;  if,  then,  we  can  deprive  them  of  what  this  Island 
affords,  much  good  will  follow  from  it. 

The  foreigners  are  yet  upon  Staten  Island,  the  British 
troops  are  upon  Long-Islayid  and  on  Ship-board. 

With  great  respect  and  esteem,  I  remain,  sir,  your  most 
obedient,  humble  servant, 

Go.  Washington. 
To  Governour  Trumbull,  Connecticut. 

[American  Arc/iives,  vol.  i,  5tli  Series,  folio  1143.] 

[  No.  23.  ] 

Admiralty  Office,  October  10,  1776. 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  Lord  Viscount  Howe,  Vice- Admiral 
of  the  White,  and  Commander-in-chief  of  his  Majesty's  ships 
and  vessels  in  North  America,  to  Mr.  Stephens,  dated  on 
board  the  Eagle,  off  Bedlow's  Island  New-  York,  the  2>lst  day 
of  August,  1776. 

"  Gen.  Howe,  giving  me  notice  of  his  intention  to  make 
a  descent  in  Gravesend  Bay,  on  Long-Island,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  22d,  the  necessary  disposition  was  made,  and 
seventy-five  flat  boats,  with  eleven  batteaus  and  two  gal- 
leys, built  for  the  occasion,  were  prepared  for  that  service. 
The  command  of  the  whole  remained  with  Commodore 
Hotham.  The  Captains  Walker,  Wallace,  and  Dickson,  in 
the  Phoenix,  Hose,  and  Greyhound,  with  the  Thunder  and 
Carcass  bombs,  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  James,  were 
appointed  to  cover  the  landing.  The  flat-boats,  galleys, 
and  three  batteaus  manned  from  the  ships-of-war,  were 


DOCUMENTS. 


37T 


formed  into  divisions,  commanded  respectively  by  the 
Captains  Vandeput,  Mason,  Curtis,  Caldwell,  Phipps,  Caul- 
field,  Upplehy,  and  Duncan,  and  Lieutenant  Reeve,  of  the 
Eagle.  The  rest  of  the  batteaus,  making  a  tenth  division, 
manned  from  the  transports,  were  under  the  conduct  of 
Lieutenant  Bristow,  an  assistant  agent. 

"Early  in  the  morning  of  the  22d,the  covering  ships  took 
their  station  in  Gravesend-Bay.  The  Light-Infantry,  with 
the  reserve,  to  be  first  landed,  forming  a  corps  together  of 
four  thousand  men,  entered  the  boats  at  Staien- Island  the 
same  time.  The  transports  in  which  the  several  brigades 
composing  the  second  debarkation  (about  five  thousand 
men)  had  been  before  embarked,  were  moved  down  and 
suitably  arranged  without  the  covering  ships  by  eight 
o'clock.  The  first  debarkation  not  meeting  with  any  oppo- 
sition, the  second  succeeded  immediately  after;  and  the 
other  transports,  carrying  the  rest  of  the  troops,  following 
the  former  in  proper  succession.  The  whole  force  then 
destined  for  this  service,  consisting  of  about  fifteen  thou- 
sand men,  was  landed  before  noon. 

On  the  25th,  an  additional  corps  of  Hessian  troops 
under  General  Heisier,  with  their  field  artillery  and  bag- 
gage, were  conveyed  to  Gravesend  Bay. 

Being  informed  the  next  day,  by  General  Howe,  of  his  in- 
tentions to  advance  with  the  army  that  night  to  the  enemy's 
lines,  and  of  his  wishes  that  some  diversion  might  be 
attempted  by  the  ships  on  this  side,  I  gave  direction  to 
Sir  Peter  Parker  for  proceeding  higher  up  in  the  channel 
towards  the  town  of  New-  York  next  morning,  with  the  Asia, 
Renown,  Preston,  (Commodore  Hotham  embarked  in  the 
Phoenix,  having  been  left  to  carry  on  the  service  in  Graves- 
end-Bay,) Roebuck,  and  Repulse,  and  to  keep  those  ships  in 
readiness  for  being  employed  as  occasion  might  require ; 
but  the  wind  veering  to  the  northward  soon  after  the  break 
of  day,  the  ships  could  not  be  moved  up  to  the  distance 


378 


DOCUMENTS. 


proposed;  therefore,  when  the  troops  under  General  Grant, 
forming  the  left  column  of  the  Army,  were  seen  to  be 
engaged  with  the  enemy  in  the  morning,  the  Roebuck, 
Captain  Hammond,  leading  the  detached  squadron,  was 
the  only  ship  that  could  fetch  high  enough  to  the  north- 
ward to  exchange  a  few  random  shot  with  the  battery  on 
Bed-Hook:  and  the  ebb  making  strongly  down  the  river 
soon  after,  I  ordered  the  signal  to  be  shown  for  the  squad- 
ron to  anchor." 

[Force's  American  Archwes,  vol.  i,  1776,  folio  1255.] 


[  No.  24.  ] 

[The  following  official  report  of  the  battle  was  written 
by  Gen.  Wm.  Howe  at  the  Brettonerre  farm-house  in  the 
village  of  I^ewtown,  L.  I.,  and  addressed  to  Lord  George 
Germaine.] 

Camp  at  Newtown,  Long  Island,  September  3,  1776. 

My  Lord:  On  the  22d  of  last  month,  in  the  morning, 
the  British,  with  Colonel  Donop's  corps  of  Chasseurs  and 
Hessian  Grenadiers,  disembarked  near  Utrecht  on  Long 
Island  without  opposition,  the  whole  being  landed,  with 
forty  pieces  of  cannon,  in  two  hours  and  a  half,  under  the 
direction  of  Commodore  Hotham  —  Lieutenant-General 
Clinton  commanding  the  first  division  of  the  troops. 

The  enemy  had  only  small  parties  on  the  coast,  who, 
upon  the  approach  of  the  boats,  retired  to  the  woody 
heights,  commanding  a  principal  pass  on  the  road  from 
Flatbush  to  their  works  at  Brooklyn.  Lord  Cormvallis  was 
immediately  detached  to  Flatbush  with  the  reserve,  (two 
battalions  of  Light-Infantry,  and  Colonel  Donop's  Corps, 
with  six  field-pieces,)  having  orders  not  to  risk  an  attack 


DOCUMENTS. 


379 


upon  the  pass  if  he  should  find  it  occupied :  which  proving 
to  be  the  case,  his  Lordship  took  post  in  the  village,  and 
the  Army  extended  from  the  ferry  at  the  Narrows,  through 
Utrecht  and  Gravesend,  to  the  village  of  Flatland. 

On  the  25th,  Lieutenant-General  JDeHeister,  with  two 
brigades  of  Hessians  from  Staien-Island,  joined  the  Army, 
leaving  one  brigade  of  his  troops,  a  detachment  of  the  Four- 
teenth Regiment  from  Virginia,  some  convalescents  and 
recruits,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  £>al- 
rymple,  for  the  security  of  that  Island. 

On  the  26th,  Lieutenant-General  Be  Heister  took  post  at 
Flathush,  and  in  the  evening  Lord  Cornwallis  w\\h\h.Q  British 
drew  oft' to  Flatland.  About  nine  o'clock  the  same  night, 
the  van  of  the  Army,  commanded  by  Lieutenant-General 
Clinton,  consisting  of  the  Light-Dragoons  and  brigade  of 
Light-Infantry,  the  reserve  under  the  command  of  Lord 
Cornwallis,  excepting  the  Forty-Second  Regiment,  which 
was  posted  to  the  left  of  the  Hessians,  the  First  Brigade 
and  the  Seventy-First  Regiment,  with  -  fourteen  field- 
pieces,  began  to  move  from  Flatland  across  the  country 
through  the  new  lots,  to  seize  a  path  in  the  heights,  ex- 
tending from  east  to  west,  along  the  middle  of  the  Island, 
and  about  three  miles  from  Bedford,  on  the  road  to  Jamaica, 
in  order  to  turn  the  enemy's  left  posted  at  Flatbush. 

August  27. —  General  Clinton  being  arrived  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  pass  about  two  hours  before  daybreak,  halted, 
and  settled  his  disposition  for  the  attack.  One  of  his 
patrols,  falling  in  with  a  patrol  of  the  enemy's  officers, 
took  them;  and  the  General,  learning  from  their  informa- 
tion that  the  Rebels  had  not  occupied  the  pass,  detached  a 
battalion  of  Light-Infantry  to  secure  it;  and  advancing 
with  his  corps  upon  the  first  appearance  of  day,  possessed 
himself  of  the  heights  with  such  a  disposition  as  must  have 
insured  success,  had  he  found  the  enemy  in  force  to  oppose 
him. 


380 


DOCUMENTS. 


The  main  body  of  the  Army,  consisting  of  the  guards, 
Second,  Third,  and  Fifth  Brigades,  with  ten  field-pieces, 
led  by  Lord  Percy,  marched  soon  after  General  Clinton, 
and  halted  an  hour  before  day  in  his  rear.  This  column 
(the  country  not  admitting  of  two  columns  of  march)  was 
followed  by  the  Forty-lN'inth  Regiment,  with  four  medium 
twelve-pounders,  and  the  baggage  closed  the  rear  with 
separate  guard. 

As  soon  as  these  corps  had  passed  the  heights,  they 
halted  for  the  soldiers  to  take  a  little  refreshment,  after 
which  the  march  was  continued,  and  about  half  an  hour 
past  eight  o'clock,  having  got  to  Bedford,  in  the  rear  of  the 
enemy's  left,  the  attack  was  commenced  by  the  Light- 
Infantry  and  Light-Dragoons  upon  large  bodies  of  the 
Rebels,  having  cannon,  who  were  quitting  the  woody 
heights  before  mentioned  to  return  to  their  lines,  upon 
discovering  the  march  of  the  Army;  instead  of  which  they 
were  drove  back,  and  the  Army  still  moving  on  to  gain 
the  enemy's  rear,  the  Grenadiers  and  Thirty-Third  Regi- 
ment, being  in  front  of  the  column,  soon  approached  within 
musket-shot  of  the  enemy's  lines  at  Brookbjyi,  from  whence 
these  battalions,  without  regarding  the  fire  of  cannon  and 
small-arms  upon  them,  pursued  numbers  of  the  Rebels, 
that  were  retiring  from  the  heights  so  close  to  their  prin- 
cipal redoubt,  and  with  such  eagerness  to  attack  it  by 
storm,  that  it  required  repeated  orders  to  prevail  upon 
them  to  desist  from  the  attempt.  Had  they  been  permitted 
to  go  on,  it  is  my  opinion  they  would  have  carried  the 
redoubt;  but  as  it  was  apparent  that  the  lines  must  have 
been  ours  at  a  very  cheap  rate  by  regular  approaches,  I 
would  not  risk  the  loss  that  might  have  been  sustained  in 
the  assault,  and  ordered  them  back  to  a  hollow  way  in  the 
front  of  the  works,  out  of  the  reach  of  musketry. 

Lieutenant-General  De  Helster  began  soon  after  day 
break  to  cannonade  the  enemy  in  the  front,  and,  upon  the 


DOCUMENTS. 


381 


approacli  of  our  right,  ordered  Colonel  Donop's  corps  to 
advance  to  the  attack  of  the  hill,  following  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  brigades.  The  Light-Infantry,  about  that 
time  having  been  reinforced  by  the  light  company,  the 
Grenadier  company,  and  two  other  companies  of  the 
Guards,  who  joined  them  with  the  greatest  activity  and 
spirit,  had  taken  three  pieces  of  cannon,  and  were  warmly 
engaged  with  very  superior  numbers  in  the  woods,  when, 
on  the  Hessians  advancing,  the  enemy  gave  way,  and  was 
entirely  routed  in  that  quarter.  On  the  left  Major-General 
Grant,  having  the  Fourth  and  Sixth  Brigades,  the  Forty- 
Second  Regiment,  and  two  companies  of  JVev)-  York  Pro- 
vincials, raised  by  Governour  Tryon  in  the  spring,  advanced 
along  the  coast  Avith  ten  pieces  of  cannon,  to  divert  the 
enemy's  attention  from  their  left.  About  midnight,  he 
fell  in  with  their  advanced  parties,  and  at  daybreak, 
with  a  large  corps,  having  cannon,  and  advantageously 
posted,  with  whom  there  was  skirmishing  and  a  cannonade 
for  some  hours,  until,  by  the  firing  at  Brooklyn,  the  Rebels, 
suspecting  their  retreat  would  be  cut  off,  made  a  move- 
ment to  the  right,  in  order  to  secure  it  across  a  swamp  and 
creek  that  covered  the  right  of  their  works;  but  being 
met  in  their  way  by  a  part  of  the  Second  Grenadiers,  who 
were  soon  after  supported  by  the  Seventy-First  Regiment, 
and  General  GranVs  left  coming  up,  they  suffered  con- 
siderably :  numbers  of  them,  however,  did  get  into  the 
morass,  where  many  were  suffocated  or  drowned. 

The  force  of  the  enemy  detached  from  the  lines  where 
General  Putnam  commanded  was  not  less,  from  the  best 
accounts  I  have  had,  than  ten  thousand  men,  who  were 
under  the  orders  of  Major-General  Sullivan,  Brigadier- 
Generals  Lord  Stirling  and  Udell.  Their  loss  is  computed 
at  about  three  thousand  three  hundred  killed,  wounded, 
prisoners,  and  drowned,  with  five  field-pieces  and  one 
howitzer  taken.    A  return  of  the  prisoners  is  enclosed. 


382 


DOCUMENTS. 


On  the  part  of  the  King's  troops,  five  officers  and  fifty- 
six  non-commissioned  officers  and  rank  and  file  killed; 
twelve  officers  and  two  hundred  and  forty-five  non-com- 
missioned officers  and  rank  and  file  wounded;  one  officer 
and  twenty  Grenadiers  of  the  Marines  taken  by  mistaking 
the  enemy  for  the  Hessians. 

The  Hessians  had  two  privates  killed,  three  officers  and 
twenty-three  rank  and  file  wounded.  The  wounds  are  in 
general  very  slight.  Lieutenant- Colonel  Monckton  is  shot 
through  the  body,  but  there  are  the  greatest  hopes  of  his 
recovery. 

The  behavior  of  both  officers  and  soldiers,  British  and 
Hessians,  was  highly  to  their  honour.  More  determined 
courage  and  steadiness  in  troops  have  never  been  experi- 
enced, or  a  greater  ardour  to  distinguish  themselves,  as 
all  those  who  had  an  opportunity  have  amply  evinced  by 
their  actions. 

In  the  evening  of  the  27th,  the  Army  encamped  in  front 
of  the  enemy's  works.  On  the  28th,  at  night,  broke 
ground  six  hundred  yards  distant  from  a  redoubt  upon 
their  left,  and  on  the  29th,  at  night,  the  Rebels  evacuated 
their  intrenchments  and  Red-Hook,  with  the  utmost 
silence,  and  quitted  Governoufs  Island  the  following  eve- 
ning, leaving  their  cannon  and  a  quantity  of  stores  in  all 
their  works.  At  daybreak  on  the  30th,  their  flight  was 
discovered,  the  piquets  of  the  hne  took  possession,  and 
those  most  advanced  reached  the  shore  opposite  to  New- 
York  as  their  rear  guard  was  going  over,  and  fired  some 
shot  amongst  them. 

The  enemy  is  still  in  possession  of  the  town  and  island 
of  New  York,  in  force,  and  making  demonstration  of  oppos- 
ing us  in  their  works  on  both  sides  of  King's  Bridge.  The 
inhabitants  of  this  Island,  many  of  whom  had  been  forced 
into  rebelUon,  have  all  submitted,  and  are  ready  to  take 
the  oaths  of  allegiance. 


DOCUMENTS. 


388 


This  dispatch  will  be  delivered  to  your  Lordship  by  Major 
Cuyler.  my  first  Aid-de-camp,  who,  I  trust,  will  be  able  to 
give  your  Lordship  such  further  information  as  may  be 
required. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  &c.. 
Will.  Howe. 

P.  S.  I  have  omitted  to  take  notice,  in  its  proper  place, 
of  a  movement  made  by  the  King's  ships  towards  th6 
town  on  the  27th,  at  daybreak,  with  a  view  of  drawing  oft' 
the  attention  of  the  enemy  from  our  real  design,  which, 
I  believe,  eftectually  answered  the  intended  purpose. 

[Am.  Archives,  vol.  i,  5tli  Series,  folio  1256.] 


[  m.  25.  ] 

General  Washington  to  the  President  of  Congress.  (Read 
September  2d,  1776). 

New-York,  August  31,  1776. 

Sir  :  Inclination  as  well  as  duty  would  have  induced 
me  to  give  Congress  the  earliest  information  of  my  re- 
moval, and  that  of  the  troops,  from  Long-Island  and  its 
dependencies  to  this  city  the  night  before  last;  but  the 
extreme  fatigue  which  myself  and  family  have  undergone, 
as  much  from  the  weather  since  as  the  engagement  on  the 
27th,  rendered  me  and  them  entirely  unfit  to  take  pen  in 
hand.  Since  Monday,  scarce  any  of  us  have  been  out  of 
the  lines  till  our  passage  across  the  JEastHiver  was  effected 
yesterday  morning;  and  for  forty-eight  hours  preceding 
that,  I  had  hardly  been  off'  my  horse,  and  never  closed  my 
eyes,  so  that  I  was  quite  unfit  to  write  or  dictate  till  this 
morning. 


384 


DOCUMENTS. 


Our  retreat  was  made  without  any  loss  of  men  or  am- 
munition, and  in  better  order  than  I  expected  from  the 
troops  in  the  situation  ours  were.  We  brought  off  our 
cannon  and  stores,  except  a  few  heavy  pieces,  which,  in 
the  condition  the  earth  was,  by  a  long-continued  rain,  we 
found,  upon  trial,  impracticable ;  the  wheels  of  the  car- 
riages sinking  up  to  the  hubs,  rendered  it  impossible  for 
our  whole  force  to  drag  them.  We  left  but  little  provi- 
sions on  the  Island,  except  some  cattle,  which  had  been 
driven  within  our  lines,  and  which,  after  many  attempts 
to  force  across  the  water,  we  found  impossible  to  effect, 
circumstanced  as  we  were. 

I  have  enclosed  a  copy  of  the  Council  of  War,  held  pre- 
vious to  the  retreat,  to  which  I  beg  leave  to  refer  Congress 
for  the  reasons,  or  many  of  them,  that  led  to  the  adoption 
of  that  measure. 

Yesterday  evening  and  last  night  a  party  of  our  men 
were  employed  in  bringing  our  horses,  cannon,  tents,  &c., 
from  Governour's  Island,  which  they  nearly  completed. 
Some  of  the  heavy  cannon  remain  there  still,  but  I  expect 
will  be  got  away  to-day. 

In  the  engagement  on  the  27th  Generals  Sullivan  and 
Stirling  were  made  prisoners ;  the  former  has  been  per- 
mitted, on  his  parole,  to  return  for  a  little  time.  From  my 
Lord  Stirling  I  had  a  letter  by  General  Sullivan,  a  copy  of 
which  I  have  the  honour  to  transmit.  That  contains  his 
information  of  the  engagement  with  his  brigade.  It  is  not 
so  full  and  certain  as  I  could  wish ;  he  was  hurried  most 
probably,  as  his  letter  was  unfinished,  l^ov  have  I  been 
yet  able  to  obtain  an  exact  account  of  our  loss ;  we  sup- 
pose it  from  seven  hundred  to  one  thousand  killed  and 
taken. 

General  Sullivan  says  Lord  Howe  is  extremely  desirous 
of  seeing  some  of  the  members  of  Congress,  for  which  pur- 
pose he  was  allowed  to  come  out,  and  to  communicate  to 


DOCUMENTS. 


385 


them  what  has  passed  between  him  and  his  Lordship.  I 
have  consented  to  his  going  to  Philadelphia,  as  I  did  not 
mean,  or  conceive  it  right,  to  withhold  or  prevent  him 
from  giving  such  information  as  he  possesses  in  this  instance. 

I  am  much  hurried,  and  engaged  in  arranging  and 
making  new  dispositions  of  our  forces;  the  movement  of 
the  enemy  requiring  them  to  be  immediately  had ;  and 
therefore  have  only  time  to  add,  that  I  am,  with  my 
best  regards  to  Congress,  their  and  your  most  obedient, 
humble  servant. 

Go.  Washington. 

[^American  Archives,  otli  Series,  fol.  1244.  vol.  i.] 


Gen.  Washington  to  the  New  York  Convoition. 

New  York,  Aug.  30,  1776. 

Sir  :  Your  favor  of  this  date  is  just  come  to  hand.  Cir- 
cumstanced as  this  Army  was,  in  respect  to  situation, 
strength,  &c.,  it  was  the  unanimous  advice  of  a  council  of 
General  Officers  to  give  up  Long-Island  and  not,  by  divid- 
ing our  force,  be  unable  to  resist  the  enemy  in  any  one 
point  of  attack.  This  reason,  added  to  some  others, 
particularly  the  fear  of  having  our  communication  cut  off 
from  the  main,  (of  which  there  seemed  no  small  probability,) 
and  the  extreme  fatigue  our  troops  were  laid  under  in 
guarding  such  extensive  lines  without  proper  shelter  from 
the  weather,  induced  the  above  resolution. 

It  is  the  most  intricate  thing  in  the  world,  sir,  to  know 
in  what  manner  to  conduct  one's  self  with  respect  to  the 
Militia:  if  you  do  not  begin  many  days  before  they  are 
wanted,  to  raise  them,  you  cannot  have  them  in  time;  if 
you  do,  they  get  tired  and  return,  besides  being  under  but 
very  little  order  or  government  whilst  in  service.  How- 
ever, if  the  enemy  have  a  design  of  serving  us  at  this  place 
49 


386 


DOCUMENTS. 


as  we  apprehend  tliey  meant  to  do  on  Long-Island,  it 
might  not  be  improper  to  have  a  body  in  readiness  to  pre- 
vent or  retard  a  landing  of  them,  on  the  east  of  Harlein 
£,iver,  if  need  be. 

In  haste,  and  not  a  little  fatigued,  I  remain,  with  great 
respect  and  esteem,  sir,  your  most  obedient  humble  ser- 
vant 

Go.  Washington. 

To  the  Hon.  Abm.  Yates,  Jun.,  Esq.,  President,  &c. 
[IMd.,  fol.  1230.] 


[  ISTo.  26.  ] 

Account  of  Batik,  and  the  Loss  of  the  Maryland  Battalion,  by 
CoL  Smallwood. 

Camp  of  the  Maryland  Regulars,  Head-Quarters,  Oct.  12,  1776. 

Sir  :  Through  your  hands  I  must  beg  leave  to  address 
the  honourable  Convention  of  Maryland,  and  must  confess 
not  without  an  apprehension  that  I  have  incurred  their 
displeasure  for  having  omitted  writing  when  on  our  march 
from  Maryland  for  New-  York,  and  since  our  arrival  here. 
l^OY  shall  I,  in  a  pointed  manner,  urge  anything  in  my 
defence,  but  leave  them  at  large  to  condemn  or  excuse 
me,  upon  a  presumption  that,  should  they  condemn,  they 
will  at  least  pardon,  and  judge  me  perhaps  less  culpable 
when  they  reflect,  in  the  first  instance,  on  the  exertions 
necessary  to  procure  baggage-wagons,  provisions,  and 
house-room  for  seven  hundred  and  fifty  men,  marched  the 
whole  distance  in  a  body,  generally  from  fifteen  to  twenty 
miles  per  day,  as  the  several  stages  made  it  necessary; 
and  in  the  latter  I  trust  they  will  give  some  indulgence  for 
this  neglect,  for,  since  our  arrival  at  New-  York,  it  has  been 


DOCUMENTS. 


387 


the  fate  of  this  corps  to  be  generally  stationed  at  advanced 
posts,  and  to  act  as  a  covering  party,  which  must  una- 
voidably expose  troops  to  extraordinary  duty  and  hazard, 
not  to  mention  the  extraordinary  vigilance  and  attention 
in  the  commandant  of  such  a  party  in  disposing  in  the 
best  manner,  and  having  it  regularly  supplied ;  for  here 
the  commanders  of  regiments,  exclusive  of  their  military 
duty,  are  often  obliged  to  exert  themselves  in  the  depart- 
ments of  Commissary  and  Quarter-master-General,  and 
even  directors  of  their  Regimental  Hospitals. 

Perhaps  it  may  not  be  improper  to  give  a  short  detail 
of  occurrences  upon  our  march  to  Long-Island,  and  since 
that  period. 

The  enemy,  from  the  21st  to  the  27th  of  August,  were 
landing  their  troops  on  the  lower  part  of  Long-Island, 
where  they  pitched  a  large  encampment,  and  ours  and 
their  advanced  parties  were  daily  skirmishing  at  long-shot, 
in  which  neither  party  suffered  much.  On  the  26th,  the 
Maryland  and  Delaware  troops,  which  composed  part  of 
Lord  Stirling's  brigade,  were  ordered  over.  Colonel  Has- 
let and  his  Lieutenant- Colonel,  Bedford,  of  the  Delaware 
battalion,  with  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hare  and  myself,  were 
detained  on  the  trial  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Zedwitz  ;  and 
though  I  waited  on  General  Washington,  and  urged  the 
necessity  of  attending  our  troops,  yet  he  refused  to  dis- 
charge us,  alleging  there  was  a  necessity  for  the  trials 
coming  on,  and  that  no  other  Field  Officers  could  be  then 
had.  After  our  dismission  from  the  Court-Martial,  it  was 
too  late  to  get  over,  but,  pushing  over  early  the  next  morn- 
ing, found  our  regiments  engaged.  Lord  Stirling  having 
marched  them  off  before  day  to  take  possession  of  the 
the  woods  and  difficult  passes  between  our  lines  and  the 
enemy's  encampment.  But  the  enemy,  the  overnight, 
had  stole  a  march  on  our  Generals,  having  got  through 
those  passes,  met  and  surrounded  our  troops  on  the  plain 


388 


DOCUMENTS. 


grounds,  within  two  miles  of  our  lines.  Lord  Stirling  drew 
up  his  brigade  on  an  advantageous  rising  ground,  where 
he  was  attacked  by  two  brigades  in  front,  headed  by  the 
Generals  Cornwallis  and  Grant,  and  in  his  rear  the  enemy's 
main  body  stood  ready  drawn  up  to  support  their  own 
parties,  and  intercept  the  retreat  of  ours.  This  excellent 
disposition,  and  their  superior  numbers,  ought  to  have 
taught  our  Generals  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost  in  secur- 
ingtheir retreat,  which  might  at  first  have  been  efiected,had 
the  troops  formed  into  a  heavy  column  and  pushed  their 
retreat;  but  the  longer  this  was  delayed,  it  became  the 
more  dangerous,  as  they  were  then  landing  more  troops 
in  front  from  the  ships.  Our  brigade  kept  their  ground 
for  several  hours,  and  in  general  behaved  well,  having 
received  some  heavy  fires  from  the  artillery  and  musketry 
of  the  enemy  whom  they  repulsed  several  times;  but  their 
attacks  were  neither  so  lasting  or  vigorous  as  was  expected, 
owing,  as  it  was  imagined,  to  their  being  certain  of  mak- 
ing the  whole  brigade  prisoners  of  war;  for,  by  this  time, 
they  had  so  secured  the  passes  on  the  road  to  our  lines, 
(seeing  our  parties  were  not  supported  from  thence,  which 
indeed,  our  numbers  would  not  admit  of,)  that  there  was 
no  possibility  of  retreating  that  way.  Between  the  place 
of  action  and  our  lines  there  lay  a  large  marsh  and  deep 
creek,  not  above  eighty  yards  across  at  the  mouth,  (the 
place  of  action  upon  a  direct  line  did  not  much  exceed  a 
mile  from  a  part  of  our  lines,)  towards  the  head  of  which 
creek  there  was  a  mill  and  bridge,  across  which  a  certain 
Colonel  Word,  from  New- England,  who  is  charged  with 
having  acted  a  bashful  part  that  day,  passed  over  with  his 
regiment,  and  then  burnt  them  down,  though  under  cover 
of  our  cannon,  which  would  have  checked  the  enemy's 
pursuit  at  any  time,  otherways  this  bridge  might  have 
afforded  a  secure  retreat.  There  then  remained  no  other 
prospect  but  to  surrender  or  attempt  to  retreat  over  this 


DOCUMENTS. 


389 


marsh  and  creek  at  the  mouth,  where  no  person  had  ever 
been  known  to  cross.  In  the  interim  I  applied  to  General 
Washington  for  some  regiments  to  march  out  to  support 
and  cover  their  retreat,  which  he  urged  would  be  attended 
with  too  great  risk  to  the  party  and  the  lines.  He  imme- 
diately afterwards  sent  for  and  ordered  me  to  march  down 
a  Neio  England  regiment,  and  Captain  Thomas's  company, 
which  had  j  ust  come  over  from  York,  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Creek,  opposite  where  the  brigade  was  drawn  up,  and 
ordered  two  field-pieces  down  to  support  and  cover  their 
retreat,  should  they  make  a  push  that  way.  Soon  after 
our  march  they  began  to  retreat,  and,  for  a  small  time,  the 
fire  was  very  heavy  on  both  sides,  till  our  troops  came  to 
the  marsh,  where  they  were  obliged  to  break  their  order, 
and  escape,  as  quick  as  they  could,  to  the  edge  of  the 
creek,  under  a  brisk  fire,  notwithstanding  which  they 
brought  ofl'  twenty-eight  prisoners.  The  enemy  taking 
advantage  of  a  commanding  ground,  kept  up  a  continual 
fire  from  four  field-pieces,  which  were  well  served  and 
directed,  and  an  heavy  column  advancing  on  the  marsh 
must  have  cut  our  people  oflf:  their  guns  being  wet  and 
muddy,  not  one  of  them  could  have  fired ;  but  having 
drawn  up  the  musketry,  and  disposed  of  some  Riflemen 
conveniently,  with  orders  to  fire  on  them  when  they  came 
within  shot,  however,  the  latter  began  their  fire  too  soon, 
being  at  two  hundred  yards  distance,  which,  notwithstand- 
ing, had  the  desired  eflect,  for  the  enemy  immediately 
retreated  to  the  fast  land,  where  they  continued  parading 
within  six  hundred  yards  till  our  troops  were  brought 
over.  Most  of  those  who  swam  over,  and  others  who 
attempted  to  cross«  before  the  covering  party  got  down, 
lost  their  arms  and  accoutrements  in  the  mud  and  creek, 
and  some  poor  fellows  their  lives,  particularly,  two  of  the 
Maryland,  two  of  the  Delaware,  one  of  Ailee's  Pennsylvania, 
and  two  Hessian  prisoners,  were  drowned.    Thomas's  men 


390  DOCUMENTS. 

contributed  much  in  bringing  over  this  party.  Have  en- 
closed a  list  of  the  killed  and  missing,  amounting  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty-six,  officers  included.  It  has  been  said 
the  enemy,  during  the  action,  also  attacked  our  lines,  but 
this  was  a  mistake.  ISTot  knowing  the  ground,  one  of  their 
columns  advanced-  within  long  shot  without  knowing  they 
were  so  near,  and  upon  our  artillery  and  part  of  the  mus- 
ketry's firing  on  them,  they  immediately  fled. 

The  28th,  during  a  very  hard  rain,  there  was  an  alarm 
that  the  enemy  had  advanced  to  attack  our  lines,  which 
alarmed  the  troops  much,  but  was  without  foundation. 

The  29th,  it  was  found,  by  a  council  of  war,  that  our 
fortifications  were  not  tenable,  and  it  was  therefore  judged 
expedient  that  the  army  should  retreat  from  the  island 
that  night;  to  eficct  which,  notwithstanding  the  Maryland 
troops  had  had  but  one  day's  respite,  and  many  other 
troops  had  been  many  days  clear  of  any  detail  duty,  they 
were  ordered  on  the  advanced  post  at  Fori  Putnam,  within 
two-hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  enemy's  approaches, 
and,  joined  with  two  Pennsylvania  regiments  on  the  left, 
were  to  remain  and  cover  the  retreat  of  the  army,  which 
was  happily  completed  under  cover  of  a  thick  fog  and  a 
southwest  wind,  both  which  favored  our  retreat;  otherwise 
the  fear,  disorder,  and  confusion  of  some  of  the  Eastern 
troops  must  have  retarded  and  discovered  our  retreat,  and 
subjected  numbers  to  be  cut  off. 

After  remaining  two  days  in  New-  York,  our  next  station 
was  at  Harlaem,  nine  miles  above,  at  an  advanced  post 
opposite  to  Moniresore's  and  Bohana's  Islands,  which  in 
a  few  days  the  enemy  got  possession  of  without  opposition, 
from  the  former  of  which  we  daily  discoursed  with  them, 
being  within  two  hundred  yards,  and  only  a  small  creek 
between. 

It  being  judged  expedient  to  abandon  New- York,  and 
retreat  to  our  lines  below  Fori  Washington,  the  military 


DOCUMENTS.  - 


391 


stores,  &c.,  had  been  removing  some  days,  when,  on  the 
15th  September,  the  enemy  effected  a  landing  on  several 
parts  of  the  island  below,  and,  it  is  cutting  to  say,  without 
the  least  opposition. 

I  have  often  read  and  heard  of  instances  of  cowardice, 
but  hitherto  have  had  but  a  faint  idea  of  it  till  now.  I 
never  could  have  thought  human  nature  subject  to  such 
baseness.  I  could  wish  the  transactions  of  this  day  blotted 
out  of  the  annals  of  America.  ]!Tothing  appeared  but 
fright,  disgrace,  and  confusion.  Let  it  suffice  to  say,  that 
sixty  Light-Infantry,  upon  the  first  fire,  put  to  fiight  two 
brigades  of  the  Connecticut  troops  —  wretches  who,  how- 
ever strange  it  may  appear,  from  the  Brigadier-General 
down  to  the  private  sentinel,  were  caned  and  whipped  by 
the  Generals  Washington,  Putnam,  and  Mifflin,  but  even 
this  indignity  had  no  weight,  they  could  not  be  brought 
to  stand  one  shot. 

General  Washington  expressly  sent  and  drew  our  regi- 
ment from  its  brigade,  to  march  down  towards  New-  York, 
to  cover  the  retreat,  and  to  defend  the  baggage    *    *  * 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  and  very  humble 
servant, 

W.  Smallwood. 

To  the  Hon.  Matthew  Tilghman,  Esq.,  President  Conven- 
tion of  Maryland, 

{American  Archives,  vol.  ii,  5tli  Series,  folio  1011.] 

[  1^0.  27.  ] 

Colonel  Haslet  to  Thomas  Rodney. 

Camp  at  Mount  Washington,  October  4,  1776. 

On  Sunday,  the  25th  of  August  last,  my  regiment  was 
ordered  to  Long-Island,  inliord  Stirling's  brigade,  composed 


392 


-  DOCUMENTS. 


mostly  of  the  Southern  troops,  by  whom  we  were  much 
caressed,  and  highly  complimented  on  our  appearance  and 
dexterity  in  the  military  exercise  and  manoeuvres.  On 
Tuesday,  the  27th,  his  brigade,  consisting  of  five  regiments, 
and  a  few  of  Sullivan's,  not  exceeding  five  thousand  men, 
were  ordered  to  advance  beyond  the  lines  and  repulse  the 
enemy.  To  oppose  this  small  band  were  seventeen  thou- 
sand regulars,  much  better  furnished  with  field-pieces  and 
every  other  military  appointment  than  we.  Several  of  the 
regiments  were  broken  and  dispersed  soon  after  the  first  on- 
set. The  Delawares  and  Marylanders  stood  firm  to  the  last; 
and  after  a  variety  of  skirmishing,  the  Delaivares  drew  up 
on  the  side  of  a  hill,  and  stood  upwards  of  four  hours,  with 
a  firm,  determined  countenance,  in  close  array,  their 
colours  flying,  the  enemy's  artillery  playing  on  them  all 
the  while,  not  daring  to  advance  and  attack  them,  though 
six  times  their  number,  and  nearly  surrounding  them. 
JSTor  did  they  think  of  quitting  their  station  till  an  express 
order  from  the  General  commanded  their  retreat  through 
a  marsh  and  over  a  creek,  the  only  opening  left,  which 
they  effected  in  good  order,  with  the  loss  of  one  man 
drowned  in  passing.  The  Delawares  alone  had  the  honor 
of  bringing  off  twenty-three  prisoners. 

I  must  also  do  Colonel  Smallwood's  battalion  the  justice 
to  say,  that  the  spirited  attack  made  by  them  on  the 
enemy,  at  the  time  the  Delawares  and  themselves  were  re- 
treating, greatly  facilitated  the  escape  of  both.  Twenty- 
seven  of  the  Delawares  next  morning  were  missing.  In 
that  number  were  Lieutenants  Stewart  and  Harney;  the 
latter  a  prisoner,  the  other  not  yet  heard  of.  Major 
McDonough  was  wounded  in  the  knee;  a  ball  passed 
through  the  sleeve  of  his  coat  without  wounding  the  arm 
or  his  body.  Lieutenant  Anderson  had  a  ball  lodged  in 
his  throat ;  Lieutenant  Corn  a  ball  still  in  his  back ;  they 
are  recovered.    The  standard  was  torn  with  shot  in  Ensign 


DOCUMENTS. 


393 


Stephens's  hand,  who  is  now  in  his  element,  and  a  most 
excellent  officer.  Such  is  our  fate.  The  Delaware  batta- 
lion, officers  and  men,  are  respected  throughout  this  army. 
We  are  now  in  General  Mifflin's  brigade,  who  a  few  days 
since  was  appointed  Quartermaster-General,  and  by  special 
order  we  encamp  on  the  lines,  near  the  General's  house. 
In  the  retreat  from  Long-Island,  which  was  conducted  with 
great  prudence,  Colonels  Skee,  Smalhoood,  Hand,  and  some 
others  I  do  not  recollect,  were  called  into  Council,  and  re- 
quested to  take  the  defence  of  the  lines  upon  us,  while  the 
main  body  of  the  army  crossed  the  Uast  River  to  New  York, 
which  was  accepted;  and  last  of  all  crossed  ourselves, 
thank  God,  in  safety. 

[Ainerican  Archives,  vol.  ii,5th  Series,  folio  881. J 


[  No.  28.  ] 

Colonel  Harrison  to  the  President  of  Congress. 

New-York,  August  27,  1776,  eight  o'clock,  p.  m. 
Sir  :  I  this  minute  returned  from  our  lines  on  Long- 
Island  where  I  left  his  Excellency  the  General.  From  him 
I  have  it  in  command  to  inform  Congress  that  yesterday 
he  went  there,  and  continued  till  evening,  when,  from  the 
enemy's  having  landed  a  considerable  part  of  their  forces, 
and  many  of  their  movements,  there  was  reason  to  appre- 
hend they  would  make,  in  a  little  time,  a  general  attack. 
As  they  would  have  a  wood  to  pass  through  before  they 
could  approach  the  lines,  it  was  thought  expedient  to  place 
a  number  of  men  there,  on  the  different  roads  leading 
from  whence  they  were  stationed,  in  order  to  harass  and 
50 


394  DOCUMENTS. 
# 

anuoy  them  in  their  march.  This  being  done,  early  this 
morning  a  smart  engagement  ensued  between  the  enemy 
and  our  detachments,  which  being  unequal  to  the  force 
they  had  to  contend  with,  have  sustained  a  pretty  consi- 
derable loss:  at  least  many  of  our  men  are  missing. 
Among  those  that  have  not  returned  are  General  Sullivan 
and  Lord  Stirling.  The  enemy's  loss  is  not  known  cer- 
tainly; but  w^e  are  told  by  such  of  our  troops  that  were  in 
the  engagement  and  that  have  come  in,  that  they  had 
many  killed  and  wounded.  Our  party  brought  off  a  Lieu- 
tenant, Sergeant,  and  Corporal,  with  twenty  privates, 
prisoners.  While  these  detachments  were  engaged,  a 
column  of  the  enemy  descended  from  the  woods  and 
marched  towards  the  centre  of  our  lines,  wdth  a  design  to 
make  an  impression,  but  were  repulsed.  This  evening  they 
appeared  very  numerous  about  the  skirts  of  the  woods, 
where  they  have  pitched  several  tents,  and  his  Excellency 
inclines  to  think  they  mean  to  attack  and  force  us  from 
our  lines  by  way  of  regular  approaches,  rather  than  in 
any  other  manner. 

To-day  five  ships  of  the  line  came  up  towards  the  town, 
where  they  seemed  desirous  of  getting,  as  they  turned  a 
long  time  against  an  unfavorable  wind.  And  on  my  re- 
turn this  evening,  I  found  a  deserter  from  the  Twenty- 
Third  Regiment,  who  informed  me  that  they  design,  as 
soon  as  the  wind  will  permit  'em  to  come  up,  to  give  us  a 
severe  cannonade  and  to  silence  our  batteries,  if  possible. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  in  great  haste,  sir,  your  most 
obedient, 

Rob.  H.  Harrison. 

(Same  to  General  Mercer.) 
[American  Archives,  5tli  Series,  fol.  1183,  vol.  i.] 


DOCUMENTS. 


395 


[  m.  29.  ] 

Lord  Stirling  to  General  Washington. 

Eagle,  August  29,  1776. 

My  Dear  General  :  I  have  now  an  opportunity  of 
informing  you  of  what  has  happened  to  me  since  I  had  last 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  you.  About  three  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  the  27th  I  was  called  up,  and  informed  by 
General  Putnam  that  the  enemy  were  advancing  on  the 
road  from  Flathush  to  the  Red  Lyon,  and  ordered  me  to 
march  with  the  two  regiments  nearest  at  hand  to  meet 
them ;  these  happened  to  be  HasleVs  and  SmaUwood's,  with 
which  I  accordingly  marched,  and  was  on  the  road  to  the 
Narrows,  just  as  the  day-light  began  to  appear.  We  pro- 
ceeded to  within  about  half  a  mile  of  the  Red  Lyon,  and 
there  met  Colonel  Atlee  with  his  regiment,  who  informed 
me  that  the  enemy  were  in  sight;  indeed  I  then  saw  their 
front  between  us  and  the  Red  Lyon.  I  desired  Colonel 
Atlee  to  place  his  regiment  on  the  left  of  the  road,  and 
wait  their  coming  up,  while  I  went  to  form  the  two  regi- 
ments I  had  brought  with  me,  along  the  ridge  from  the  road 
up  to  a  piece  of  wood  on  the  top  of  the  hill ;  this  was  done 
instantly  on  very  advantageous  ground.  Our  opponents 
advanced  and  were  fired  upon  in  the  road  by  Atlee' s,  who, 
after  two  or  three  rounds,  retreated  to  the  wood  on  my  left, 
and  there  formed.  By  this  time  Kichline's  Riflemen  arrived ; 
part  of  them  I  placed  along  a  hedge  under  the  front  of 
the  hill,  and  the  rest  in  the  front  of  the  wood.  The  troops 
opposed  to  me  were  two  brigades,  of  four  regiments  each, 
under  the  command  of  General  Grant,  who  advanced  their 
light  troops  to  within  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  our 
right  front,  and  took  possession  of  an  orchard  there,  and 
some  hedges   which  extended   towards  our  left;  this 


396 


DOCUMENTS. 


brought  on  an  exchange  of  fire  between  those  troops  and 
our  E-iflemen,  which  continued  for  about  two  hours,  and 
then  ceased  by  those  light  troops  retiring  to  their  main 
body.  In  the  mean  time  Captain  Carpenter  brought  up 
two  field  pieces,  which  were  placed  on  the  side  of  the  hill 
so  as  to  command  the  road,  and  the  only  approach  for  some 
hundred  yards.  On  the  part  of  General  Grant  there  were 
two  field-pieces;  one  howitz  advanced  to  w^ithin  three 
hundred  yards  of  the  front  of  our  right,  and  a  like  detach- 
ment of  artillery  to  the  front  of  our  left,  on  a  rising  ground 
at  about  six  hundred  yards  distance.  One  of  their  brigades 
formed  in  two  lines  opposite  to  our  right,  and  the  others  ex- 
tended in  one  line  to  top  of  the  hills  in  the  front  of  our  left ; 
in  this  position  we  stood  cannonading  each  other  till  near 
eleven  o'clock,  when  I  found  that  General  Howe,  with  the 
main  body  of  the  Army,  was  between  me  and  our  lines, 
and  saw  that  the  only  chance  of  escaping  being  all  made 
prisoners  was  to  pass  the  creek  near  the  Yelloio  Mills;  and 
in  order  to  render  this  the  more  practicable,  I  found  it 
absolute^  necessary  to  attack  a  body  of  troops  commanded 
by  Lord  Cormvallis,  posted  at  the  house  near  the  Upper 
Mills  ;  this  I  instantly  did,  with  about  half  of  Smallwood's, 
first  ordering  all  the  other  troops  to  make  the  best  of  their 
way  through  the  creek.  We  continued  the  attack  a  con- 
siderable time,  the  men  having  been  rallied  and  the  attack 
renewed  five  or  six  several  times,  and  were  on  the  point 
of  driving  Lord  Cornwallis  from  his  station,  but  large  suc- 
cours arriving  rendered  it  impossible  to  do  more  than  to 
provide  for  safety.  I  endeavored  to  get  in  between  that 
house  and  Fort  Box,  but  on  attempting  it  I  found  a  con- 
siderable body  of  troops  in  my  front,  and  several  in  pursuit 
of  me  on  the  right  and  left,  and  a  constant  firing  on  me. 
I  immediately  turned  the  point  of  a  hill  which  covered  me 
from  their  fire,  and  I  was  soon  out  of  the  reach  of  my 
pursuers.    I  soon  found  it  would  be  in  vain  to  attempt 


DOCUMENTS. 


397 


to  make  my  escape,  and  therefore  went  to  surrender 
myself  to  General  De  Meisier,  commander-in-chief  of  the 
Hessians. 

[American  Archives,  5tli  Series,  fol.  1245,  vol.  i.] 


[  ISTo.  30.  ] 

Account  of  Col.  Reed. 

New  York,  August  30,  1776. 
Colonel  Reed  to  General  William  Livingston. 

Dear  Sir  :  Though  I  am  much  fatigued,  not  having  had 
my  clothes  off  since  Monday  evening,  and  no  sleep  for  two 
nights,  I  sit  down  cheerfully  to  comply  with  your  request. 
On  General  Greene's  being  sick,  Sidlivan  took  the  command, 
who  was  wholly  unacquainted  with  the  ground  or  country. 
Some  movements  being  made  which  the  General  did  not 
approve  entirely,  and  finding  a  great  force  going  to  Long- 
Island,  he  sent  over  Putnam,  who  had  been  over  occasion- 
ally ;  this  gave  some  disgust,  so  that  Putnam  was  directed 
to  soothe  and  soften  as  much  as  possible.  In  this  condi- 
tion things  were,  and  growing  more  critical.  Lord  Stirling 
went  over;  some  regiments  were  also  sent;  they  were 
ordered  to  lay  in  a  wood  near  Flaibush,  but  the  road  from 
Jamaica  having  been  neglected,  they  were  surprised  on 
Tuesday  morning.  The  picket  of  eight  hundred  men,  I 
fear,  mostly  ran  off  at  the  first  fire,  but  several  regiments 
being  ordered  out,  and  ignorant  of  the  Jamaica  rout,  as 
soon  as  they  engaged  they  found  themselves  surrounded, 
so  that  they  were  obliged  to  cut  their  way  through. 
Many  of  them  behaved  well,  and  have  suffered  accordingly. 
Our  loss  I  compute  at  seven  hundred  men,  two  General 


398  DOCUMENTS. 

Officers,  {Sullivan  and  Stirling),  nine  Colonels  and  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonels, two  or  three  Majors,  and  several  other 
officers.  The  two  first  are  prisoners,  and  well  used.  We 
had  a  letter  from  Sullivan  yesterday.  Colonels  killed  and 
missing  are  Atlee,  Miles,  Piper,  Parry,  (killed ;)  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Johnson,  Lutz,  Kachlin,  Clark,  Major  Burd,  and 
one  or  two  I  don't. 

The  principal  loss  has  fallen  on  First  Pennsylvania  batta- 
lion, Atlee,  Smallwood,  Huntington,  and  HasletVs;  all  of 
whom  behaved  so  as  to  command  the  admiration  of  all 
those  who  beheld  the  engagement.  My  Lord,  who  loved 
discipline,  made  a  mistake,  which  probably  affected  us  a 
great  deal;  he  would  not  suffer  his  regiments  to  break, 
but  kept  them  in  lines  and  on  open  ground.  The  enemy, 
on  the  other  hand,  possessed  themselves  of  the  woods, 
fences,  &c.,  and  having  the  advantage  of  numbers,  per- 
haps ten  to  one,  our  troops  lost  everything  but  honour. 
His  personal  bravery  was  very  conspicuous.  As  this  wood 
made  a  capital  part  of  the  Long-Island  defence,  and  Lord 
Howe  was  every  day  attempting,  with  the  wind  ahead,  to 
get  up  to  town,  it  became  a  serious  consideration  whether 
we  ought  to  risk  the  fate  of  the  Army,  and  perhaps  Ame- 
rica, on  defending  the  circle  of  about  three  miles,  fortified 
with  a  few  strong  redoubts,  but  chiefly  open  lines.  When 
the  heavy  rains  came  on  not  half  of  the  men  had  tents; 
they  lay  out  in  the  lines,  their  arms,  ammunition,  &c.,  all 
got  wet;  they  began  to  sink  under  the  fatigues  and  hard- 
ships. The  enemy  at  the  same  time  possessed  themselves 
of  a  piece  of  ground  very  advantageous,  and  which  they 
had  .  We  were  therefore  reduced  to  the  alternative 
of  retiring  to  this  place,  or  going  out  with  to  drive 

them  off*;  it  was  unanimously  agreed  to  retire,  and  mea- 
sures taken  to  execute  it,  which  was  done  in  the  face  of 
their  Army,  so  effectually  that  between  sunset  and  sunrise 
our  men,  ammunition,  all  our  artillery,  (except  five  pieces 


DOCUMENTS. 


399 


of  heavy  cannon,)  the  greater  part  of  our  prisoners,  were 
got  off  undiscovered  and  safely  landed  here.  We  shall 
now  therefore  have  our  whole  strength  collected  together, 
and  govern  ourselves  accordingly.  We  took  thirty  pri- 
soners and  one  officer  from  the  enemy,  and  have  reason  to 
think  their  loss  also  considerable.  In  General  SidUvan's 
note,  he  says  Lord  Stirling  will  be  exchanged  for  either 
of  their  Brigadiers,  from  which  we  suppose  two  are  killed, 
as  they  are  not  in  our  hands.  A  Sergeant  brought  in  a 
laced  hat,  shot  through,  and  the  name  of  Colonel  Grant 
wrote  in  it,  from  which  we  suppose  he  is  certainly  killed, 
and  may  be  General  Grant  since  promoted. 

I  have  given  you  the  substance,  and  I  believe  it  is  pretty 
exact. 

I  am,  with  great  truth  and  esteem,  &c.,  your  most  obe- 
dient, humble  servant, 

Jos.  Reed. 

[Amencan  Arclmes,  5tli  Series,  fol.  1231,  vol.  i.] 


[  ¥o.  31.  ] 

Letter  from  Lieut.  Col.  James  Chambers  of  Col.  Hand's  Batta- 
lion of  Riflemen,  descriptive  of  the  Battle  of  the  27th  of  August. 

In  camp  at  Delamere's  Mills, 

three  miles  above  King's  Bridge,  September  3,  1776. 

My  Dear  Kitty  :  I  should  have  written  to  you  sooner, 
but  the  hurry  and  confusion  we  have  been  in  for  some  time 
past,  has  hindered  me.  I  will  now  give  you  a  short  ac- 
count of  transactions  in  this  quarter. 

On  the  morning  of  the  22nd  of  August  there  were  nine 
thousand  British  troops  on  ]^ew  Utrecht  plains.  The 
guard  alarmed  our  small  camp,  and  we  assembled  at  the 


400 


DOCUMENTS. 


flagstaff.  We  marched  our  forces,  about  two  hundred  iii 
number,  to  ^Tew  Utrecht,  to  watch  the  movements  of  the 
enemy.  "When  we  came  on  the  hill,  we  discovered  a  party 
of  them  advancing  toward  us.  We  prepared  to  give  them 
a  warm  reception,  when  an  imprudent  fellow  fired,  and  they 
immediately  halted  and  turned  toward  Flatbush.  The 
main  body  also,  moved  along  the  great  road  toward  the 
same  place.  We  proceeded  alongside  of  them  in  the  edge 
of  the  woods  as  far  as  the  turn  of  the  lane,  where  the 
cherry  trees  were,  if  you  remember.  We  then  found  it 
impracticable  for  so  small  a  force  to  attack  them  on  the 
plain,  and  sent  Captain  Hamilton  with  twenty  men,  before 
them  to  burn  all  the  grain ;  which  he  did  very  cleverly, 
and  killed  a  great  many  cattle.  It  was  then  thought  most 
proper  to  return  to  camp  and  secure  our  baggage,  which 
we  did,  and  left  it  in  Fort  Brown.  Near  12  o'clock  the 
same  day  we  returned  down  the  great  road  to  Flatbush 
with  only  our  small  regiment  and  one  New  England  regi- 
ment sent  to  support  us,  though  at  a  mile's  distance. 
When  in  sight  of  Flatbush,  we  discovered  the  enemy,  but 
not  the  main  body ;  on  perceiving  us,  they  retreated  down 
the  road  perhaps  a  mile.  A  party  of  our  people  com- 
manded by  Captain  Miller  followed  them  close  with  a 
design  to  decoy  a  portion  of  them  to  follow  him,  whilst 
the  rest  kept  in  the  edge  of  the  woods  alongside  of  Captain 
M.  But  they  thought  better  of  the  matter  and  would  not 
come  after  him  though  he  went  within  two  hundred  yards. 
There  they  stood  for  a  long  time,  and  then  Cap.  Miller 
turned  off  to  us,  and  we  proceeded  along  their  flank. 

Some  of  our  men  fired  upon  and  killed  several  Hessians, 
as  we  ascertained  two  days  afterwards.  Strong  guards 
were  maintained  all  day  on  the  flanks  of  the  enemy,  and 
our  regiment  and  the  Hessian  yagers  kept  up  a  severe  filing 
with  a  loss  of  but  two  wounded  on  our  side.  We  laid  a 
few  Hessians  low,  and  made  them  retreat  out  of  Flatbush. 


DOCUMENTS. 


401 


Our  people  went  into  the  town,  and  brought  the  goods  out 
of  the  burning  houses. 

The  enemy  liked  to  have  lost  their  field-pieces.  Captain 
Steel,  of  your  vicinity,  acted  bravely.  We  would  cer- 
tainly have  had  the  cannon  had  it  not  been  for  some 
foolish  person  calling  retreat.  The  main  body  of  the  foe 
returned  to  the  town ;  and  when  our  lads  came  back,  they 
told  of  their  exploits.  This  was  doubted  by  some,  which 
enraged  our  men  so  much  that  a  few  of  them  ran  and 
brought  away  several  Hessians  on  their  backs.  This  kind 
of  firing  by  our  riflemen  and  theirs  continued  until  ten 
(two?)  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  26th,  when  our  regi- 
ment was  relieved  by  a  portion  of  the  Flying  Camp;  and 
we  started  for  Fort  Greene  to  get  refreshment,  not  having 
lain  down  the  whole  of  this  time,  and  almost  dead  with 
fatigue.  We  had  just  got  to  the  fort,  and  I  had  only  laid 
down,  when  the  alarm  guns  were  fired.  We  were  com- 
pelled to  turn  out  to  the  lines,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  light 
saw  our  men  and  theirs  engaged  with  field-pieces.  At  last, 
the  enemy  found  means  to  surround  our  men  there  upon 
guard,  and  then  a  heavy  firing  continued  for  several  hours. 
The  main  body  that  surrounded  our  men  marched  up  within 
thirty  yards  of  Forts  Brown  and  Greene ;  but  when  we  fired, 
they  retreated  with  loss.  From  all  I  can  learn  we  num- 
bered about  twenty-five  hundred,  and  the  attacking  party 
not  less  than  twenty-five  thousand,  as  they  had  been  land- 
ing for  days  before.  Our  men  behaved  as  bravely  as  men 
ever  did ;  but  it  is  surprising  that,  with  the  superiority  of 
numbers,  they  were  not  cut  to  pieces.  They  behaved  gal- 
lantly, and  there  are  but  five  or  six  hundred  missing. 

General  Lord  Stirling  fought  like  a  wolf,  and  is  taken 
prisoner.  Colonels  Miles  and  Atlee,  Major  Bird,  Captain 
Peoples,  Lieutenant  Watt,  and  a  great  number  of  our 
other  ofiicers  also  prisoners;  Colonel  Piper  missing. 
From  deserters,  we  learn  that  the  enemy  lost  Major-Gene- 
51 


402 


DOCUMENTS. 


ral  Grant,  and  two  Brigadiers,  and  many  others,  and  five 
hundred  killed.  Our  loss  is  chiefly  in  prisoners.  *  *  * 
The  Pennsylvania  troops  were  done  great  honor  by  being 
chosen  the  corpsdereserve  to  cover  the  retreat.  The  regi- 
ments of  Colonels  Hand,  Hagan,  Shea,  and  Hazlett  were 
detailed  for  that  purpose.  We  kept  up  fires,  with  outposts 
stationed,  until  all  the  rest  were  over.  We  left  the  lines 
after  it  was  fair  day,  and  then  came  ofi". 

IS'ever  was  a  greater  feat  of  generalship  shown  than  in 
this  retreat ;  to  bring  ofi'  an  army  of  twelve  thousand  men 
within  sight  of  a  strong  enemy,  possessed  of  as  strong  a 
fleet  as  ever  floated  on  our  seas,  without  any  loss,  and  sav- 
ing all  the  baggage. 

General  Washington  saw  the  last  over  himself. 

[Ghamhersburg  in  the  Colony  and  the  BevoluHon.] 

[  No.  32.  ] 

Account  of  the  Massacre  by  a  British  officer. 

[Extract  of  a  letter  from  an  oflBcer  in  General  Frazier's  Battalion.] 

Dated  September  3d,  1776. 
Rejoice,  my  friend,  that  we  have  given  the  Rebels  a 

d  d  crush.    We  landed  on  Long-Island  the  22d  ult., 

without  opposition.  On  the  27th  we  had  a  very  warm 
action,  in  which  the  Scots  regiments  behaved  with  the 
greatest  bravery,  and  carried  the  day  after  an  obstinate 
resistance  on  the  Rebel  side.  But  we  flanked  and  over- 
powered them  with  numbers.  The  Hessians  and  our  brave 
Highlanders  gave  no  quarters,  and  it  was  a  fine  sight  to  see 
with  what  alacrity  they  dispatched  the  Rebels  with  their 
bayonets  after  we  had  surrounded  them  so  that  they  could 
not  resist.    Multitudes  were  drowned  and  suftbcated  in 


DOCUMENTS.  403 

morasses  —  a  proper  punishment  for  all  Rebels.  Our  bat- 
talion outmarched  all  the  rest,  and  was  always  first  up 
with  the  Eebel  fugitives.  A  fellow  they  call  Lord  Stirling, 
one  of  their  Generals,  with  two  others,  is  prisoner,  and  a 
great  many  of  their  officers,  men,  artillery,  and  stores. 
It  was  a  glorious  achievement,  my  friend,  and  will  immor- 
talize us  and  crush  the  Rebel  Colonies.  Our  loss  was 
nothing.  We  took  care  to  tell  the  Hessians  that  the  Rebels 
had  resolved  to  give  no  quarters  to  them  in  particular, 
which  made  them  fight  desperately,  and  put  all  to  death 
that  fell  into  their  hands.  You  know  all  stratagems  are 
lawful  in  war,  especially  against  such  vile  enemies  to  their 
King  and  country.  The  Island  is  all  ours,  and  we  shall 
soon  take  New-  York,  for  the  Rebels  dare  not  look  us  in  the 
face.  I  expect  the  afi:air  will  be  over  this  campaign,  and  we 
shall  all  return  covered  with  American  laurels,  and  have  the 
cream  of  American  lands  allotted  us  for  our  services. 

[Lest  any  of  those  persons  who  aflfect  not  to  beUeve  anything  against 
the  British  soldiers,  and  will  pretend  to  say  that  the  above  letter, 
which  exactly  tallies  with  their  conduct  as  heretofore  represented,  is 
an  American  forgery,  we  would  inform  them  that  the  English,  paper 
from  whence  the  above  is  taken  may  be  seen  in  the  hands  of  the 
printers  in  Hartford — Mass.  Spy.'] 

[American  Archives,  vol.  i,  ^h.  Series,  fol.  1359.] 


[  No.  33.  ] 

Maryland  Council  of  Safety  to  Delegate  in  Congress  [at  Fhila- 

delphia.] 

Annapolis,  August  16,  1776. 

Sir  :  We  received  yours  of  the  13th,  and  have  seen  what 
you  wrote  to  Major  Jenifer  on  the  state  of  publick  afiairs. 

In  consequence  of  a  resolve  of  the  Convention,  we  have 
given  orders  to  all  the  Independent  Companies  (four  in 


404 


DOCUMENTS. 


number),  to  march.  Colonel  CarvcU  Hall's  and  Colonel 
Swing's,  and  six  or  seven  companies  on  the  Eastern  Shore, 
have  like  orders  to  march;  so  that,  with  G^rz^^A's  battalion, 
we  shall  have  near  four  thousand  men  with  you  in  a  short 
time.  This  exceeds  our  proportion  for  the  Flying-Camp, 
but  we  are  sending  all  that  we  have  that  can  be  armed 
and  equipped ;  and  the  people  of  New- York,  for  whom 
we  have  great  affection,  can  have  no  more  than  our  all. 
Enclosed  you  have  a  list  of  the  several  battalions  and 
companies.  *  *  *  * 

P.  S.  These  companies  are  not  all  fully  armed  and 
equipped,  but  we  hope  soon  to  collect  enough. 

List  of  the  Troops  for  Maryland. 

Smallwood's  Battalion  nine  Companies,  7 6  each,    -       -  684 
Captain   Veazey^  100,  Captain  Hindman  100,  Captain 

Thomas  100,  300 

Captain  Beall  100,  Captain  Gimhy  100,       -       -       -  200 

Captain  Woolford  100,  Captain  Watkins  100,   -       -  200 

1384 

Griffith's  Battalion,  nine  Companies,  90  men  each,  -  810 
Colonel  Carvel  HalVs  do  do       -       -  810 

3  Companies  of  Colonel  Ewing's  -  -  -  -  -  270 
7  Companies  of  Eastern- Shore  Battalion,  .       -       -  644 

3918 

The  remaining  Companies  of  Ewing's  and  the  Eastern- 
Shore  Battalion  must  borrow  arms  from  the  Militia  to  do 
duty  here ;  they  can  get  arms  on  no  other  terms. 


Maryland  Committee  of  Safety  to  Captains  Smith  and  Perkins. 

Annapolis,  August  16,  1776. 
Gentlemen  :  By  desire  of  the  Convention  you  are  to 
march  your  Companies,  as  soon  as  they  are  ready,  to 


DOCUMENTS. 


405 


Philadelphia,  where  you  will  receive  further  orders.  The 

service  requires  the  greatest  despatch,  and  we  earnestly 

request  you  to  exert  yourselves  on  this  occasion.  We 

have  written  the  Committee  to  supply  you  with  camp 

kettles,  gun-slings,  wooden  bottles,  and  cartouch  boxes. 
*       *  * 

[Subsequent  orders  indicate  the  greatest  zeal  and  interest 
in  defending  'New  York  from  the  common  enemy.  The 
generous  and  noble  sons  of  Maryland  responded  to  the 
call  of  the  Convention  with  equal  enthusiasm,  and  with 
the  loftiest  courage  and  patriotism  devoted  themselves  to 
the  cause  of  liberty,  in  which  they  perished.] 

[American  ArcMves,  vol.  i,  Sth  Series,  fol.  975.] 


[  No.  34.  ] 

Extract  from  a  Journal  kept  by  Captain  George  Harris,  of  the 
6th  Regiment  of  British  Infantry.  Subsequently  Lord  George 
Harris, 

"  On  the  5th  August  we  made  the  harbour  of  New 
York,  and  at  the  entrance  joined  the  very  fleet  with  which* 
I  had  so  much  wished  to  sail,  and  of  which  ours  in  fact, 
was  the  second  part.  On  the  18th  I  got  quit  of  the  re- 
cruits to  my  great  satisfaction,  and  joined  my  company  on 
Staten  Island.  About  the  20th  we  embarked  in  boats  for 
Long  Island,  and  landed,  without  opposition,  in  Grave- 
send  Bay ;  marched  six  miles  inland,  and  halted  till  the 
26th.  A  large  body  of  the  Americans  near  us  keeping 
up  a  fire  from  behind  walls  and  trees.  About  4  p.  m.  of  the 
26th,  struck  tents,  and  lay  on  our  arms  during  the  night 
about  three  miles  from  Bedford ;  and  though  in  summer,  it 
was  the  coldest  night  I  have  experienced  up  to  this  time 


406 


DOCUMENTS. 


(NoY.  25th).  Such  sudden  changes  of  climate  are  not  un- 
common here.  The  weather  is  now  most  unnaturally  hot 
and  close,  after  severe  frosts. 

"  At  daybreak,  the  27th,  the  light  infantry  attacked  and 
forced  several  small  posts  which  the  Americans  had  on 
the  road  leading  to  their  lines  at  Bedford.  This  appeared 
to  be  the  first  notice  they  had  of  our  being  near  to  them. 
About  nine  we  fired  two  signal  guns  to  a  part  of  the  army 
under  General  Grant,  who  was  to  make  a  feint  in  the 
front  of  the  Americans,  while  we  got  round  to  their  rear, 
and  immediately  marched  briskly  up  to  them,  when, 
almost  without  firing  a  shot,  they  abandoned  their  post, 
and  retreated  to  their  lines  under  cover  of  their  guns, 
(these  they  also  evacuated  two  or  three  days  after,  retiring 
upon  IsTew  York  during  the  night).  Our  men  were  most 
eager  to  attack  them  in  their  lines,  and  I  am  convinced 
would  have  carried  them,  but  we  were  ordered  to  retreat 
out  of  reach  of  their  guns,  and  lay  from  about  four  p.  m.,  till 
very  near  dark,  at  the  entrance  of  a  small  wood,  exposed 
to  the  fire  of  their  riflemen.  During  the  whole  evening 
they  hit  but  one  man,  though  their  balls  continually 
whistled  over  our  heads,  and  lodged  in  the  trees  above  us. 
Their  loss  that  day  is  acknowledged  by  them  to  have  been 
*  above  2,600  ;  ours  about  300  in  killed  and  wounded. 

"  On  the  30th  the  reserve,  with  the  light  infantry,  again 
left  the  army,  which  the  next  day  took  peaceable  posses- 
sion of  all  the  American  works  on  Long  Island,  and  en- 
camped near  Hell  Gate."       *       *  * 

[In  a  letter  written  nearly  at  the  same  period  Captain 
Harris  says  of  Col.  Medows :  ] 

*'  He  led  us  on  to  action  in  the  most  gallant  manner,  and 
I  am  convinced  that  if  Gen.  Howe  had  made  a  sign  for  us 
to  follow  the  Americans  into  their  works  we  would  have 


DOCUMENTS. 


407 


done  it.  Thanks  to  the  General's  prudence  we  have  ef- 
fected this  object  without  the  loss  of  the  many  brave  fellows 
who  must  have  fallen  in  the  attempt." 

{LusUngton's  Life  and  Services  of  Gen.  Lord  Harris.'] 


[  No.  35. "] 

Extract  from  an  account  of  the  landing  and  battle  on  Long 
Island,  compiled  by  G.  S.  Rainer  from  the  Journals  and 
original  papers  of  Sir  George  Collier,  Commander  of  the 
Rainbow. 

"  Sir  George  Collier,  in  the  Rainbow  of  44  guns,  Com- 
modore Hotham,  in  the  Preston  of  50  guns,  and  four 
other  men-of-war  were  appointed  to  escort  this  formidable 
force  to  America.  The  fleet  having  completed  their  water 
and  provisions,  and  the  wind  admitting  of  their  sailing, 
they  left  Spithead  about  the  20th  of  May,  amounting  in  all 
to  ninety-two  sail,  eighty-six  of  which  were  transports,  and 
the  rest  men-of-war. 

This  first  division  consisted  of  7,800  Hessians,  and  were 
commanded  by  Lieutenant-General  JDe  Heister,  with  some 
other  General  officers  under  him  ;  together  with  a  numer- 
ous and  well-appointed  train  of  artillery,  wagons,  field 
equipage,  and  every  other  necessary  preparation  fpr  taking 
the  field.  To  these  were  added  1,000  of  the  English 
guards,  under  Colonel  Matthews,  who,  on  the  arrival  of  the 
Hessian  troops  at  Spithead,  immediately  embarked  in 
transports  prepared  for  them. 

The  incidents  of  the  voyage  are  little  worth  mentioning, 
except  that  some  of  the  transports,  by  thick  weather  and 
other  causes,  separated  from  their  convoy ;  the  fogs  on  the 


408 


DOCUMENTS. 


banks  of  E"ewfoundland  making  it  very  difficult  for  the 
fleet  to  keep  together.  This  disagreeable  impediment  con- 
tinued till  they  arrived  off  the  coast  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  it 
was  then  found,  upon  coming  into  dear  day  lights  that 
about  seventeen  sail  of  the  convoy  were  missing. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Boston,  our  troops  retired  to 
Halifax,  and  it  was  expected  they  would  remain  at  that 
settlement  till  joined  by  the  reinforcements  from  England. 
Accordingly,  this  fleet  pursued  their  voyage  for  Halifax, 
but  were  informed  in  coming  off  the  harbour,  that  General 
Howe  and  his  army  had  embarked  from  thence,  and  were 
gone  to  New  York. 

This  was  disagreeable  news  for  the  sick  men,  of  whom 
there  were  already  great  numbers,  and  who,  after  a  tedious 
and  uncomfortable  voyage  of  nine  weeks,  were  in  hopes 
of  meeting  with  a  little  quiet  and  refreshment.  The 
expectation,  however,  was  illusive ;  for  as  the  service  would 
not  admit  of  any  delay,  the  fleet,  without  anchoring,  turned 
their  prows  to  the  southward,  and  shaped  a  course  for  New 
York. 

This  passage  was  again  very  tedious,  for  calms  con- 
trary winds,  and  currents,  drove  the  fleet  in  such  ad- 
verse directions,  as  bafiled  every  reckoning,  though  kept 
by  the  ablest  artists.  The  old  General,  De  Heister,  who 
was  embarked  on  board  a  merchant  ship,  exhausted  his 
whole  stock  of  tobacco  and  patience  together.  He  wrote  a 
letter,  couched  in  terms  of  griefs  impatience,  and  despair, 
"I  have  been  imposed  on  and  deceived,"  said  the  old 
veteran  ;  "  for  I  was  assured  the  voyage  would  not  exceed 
six  or  seven  weeks, —  it  is  now  more  than  fourteen  since  I  em- 
barked, and  full  three  months  since  I  left  England,  yet  I 
see  no  more  prospect  of  landing  than  I  did  a  week  after 
our  sailing.  I  am  an  old  man,  covered  with  wounds,  and 
imbecilitated  by  age  and  fatigues,  and  it  is  impossible  I 
should  survive  if  the  voyage  continues  much  longer Sir 


DOCUMENTS.  409 

George  Collier  went  on  board  the  transport,  to  visit  and 
comfort  the  old  General ;  and  to  do  it  more  effectually  than 
by  words,  he  carried  with  him  refreshments,  fresh  provi- 
sions, &c.,  but,  above  all,  plenty  of  tobacco,  which  he 
learned  was  one  principal  cause  of  the  veteran's  dejection. 
This,  and  an  assurance  that  the  voyage  would  now  soon 
terminate,  raised  the  old  German's  spirits  very  effectually. 
He  ordered  his  band  of  music  to  play,  —  he  called  for  old 
Hock,  and  swallowed  large  potations  to  the  healths  of  the 
King  of  England,  the  Landgrave,  and  many  other  friends, 
and  Sir  George  left  him  perfectly  exhilarated  and  happy. 

After  a  passage  of  about  thirteen  weeks  from  England, 
the  convoy  arrived  at  Sandy  Hook,  where  they  found  Lord 
Howe,  who  had  taken  upon  him  the  command  of  the  fleet. 
The  army,  under  his  brother,  was  encamped  on  Staten 
Island,  within  sight  of  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  Hessian  troops  were  immediately  disembarked,  and 
formed  a  separate  camp.  The  great  plenty  of  refreshment 
they  received,  soon  recovered  them  from  the  fatigues  of 
their  long  voyage,  and  rendered  them  perfectly  fit  for  ser- 
vice. General  Howe  had  now  the  satisfaction  of  finding 
himself  at  the  head  of  full  twenty-four  thousand  fine  troops, 
most  completely  furnished  and  appointed,  commanded  by 
the  ablest  and  best  officers  in  the  world,  and  having  a  more 
numerous  artillery  than  ever  before  was  sent  from  England. 
Four  hundred  transports  were  anchored  abreast  of  Staten 
Island,  to  carry  them  to  any  place  the  General  might 
choose  to  attempt;  and  thirty-seven  sail  of  men-of-war 
attended  as  a  protection  and  escort,  if  it  should  be  wanted. 
A  force  so  tremendous  by  sea  and  land,  struck  terror  into 
the  breast  of  every  rebel,  and  they  gave  up,  as  hopeless, 
that  independence  which  they  had  the  presumption  to  pro- 
claim but  a  little  before. 

From  the  nearest  part  of  Staten  Island,  the  city  of  New 
York  was  distant  about  six  miles.    The  rebels  had  thrown 
52 


410 


DOCUMENTS. 


up  some  trifling  works  on  the  different  points  of  land  lead- 
ing up  to  it,  but  the  channel  was  not  intricate,  and  no  one 
conceived  that  the  dislodging  them  from  the  posts  they  had 
taken,  and  becoming  masters  of  IN'ew  York,  would  be 
attended  with  any  great  hazard  or  difficulty.  Mr.  Wash- 
ington, (a  gentleman  of  property  in  Virginia,  who  had 
formerly  served  in  the  American  troops  last  war  against 
the  French),  had  the  chief  command  of  the  rebel  army, 
and  took  upon  himself  the  title  of  General.  The  utmost 
of  his  collected  force  did  not  amount  to  sixteen  thousand 
men,  all  of  whom  were  undisciplined^  unused  to  war,  deficient 
in  clothing,  and  even  necessaries,  and  very  ill-provided  with 
artillery  and  ammunition.  His  officers  were  tradesmen  of 
different  professions,  totally  unacquainted  with  discipline, 
and  consequently  utterly  unskilled  in  the  art  of  war. 

Such  was  the  exact  state  of  both  armies  before  any 
operation  was  undertaken.  Justice  on  the  royal  side,  and 
treason  on  the  other,  made  the  balance  still  more  unequal. 

The  season  was  already  too  far  advanced  to  lose  a  mo- 
ment from  enterprise.  The  troops  panted  with  the  most 
gallant  ardour  to  be  led  on  to  action  ;  the  men-of-war  were 
impatiently  anxious  to  attack  the  rebel  batteries,  (believing 
the  traitors  who  were  to  defend  them,  would  soon  give  up 
the  point,)  and  longing  to  tear  down  and  trample  upon 
the  thirteen  stripes,  which  were  seen  insolently  waving  on 
bastions  in  many  different  places. 

Six  fire-ships  appeared  at  this  time  under  the  walls  of 
New- York,  menacing  the  fleet  at  Staten  Island.  Had 
they  attempted  burning  the  transports  in  some  dark  night, 
when  the  wind  and  tide  were  favourable,  much  damage  and 
confusion  might  have  ensued,  but  they  had  not  courage  to 
hazard  it. 

About  this  period,  Commodore  Sir  Peter  Parker,  in 
the  Bristol  of  50  guns,  joined  Lord  Howe,  together  with 
some  frigates  and  transports,  in  the  latter  of  which  came 


DOCUMENTS.  411 

General  Clinton,  and  a  strong  reinforcement  of  troops. 
This  small  fleet  arrived  from  South  Carolina,  where  an 
ill-judged  attack  had  been  made,  and  from  which  the 
king's  ships  were  disgracefully  forced  to  retreat,  with  the 
loss  of  three  frigates  and  the  mainmast  of  the  Bristol. 

The  arrival  of  a  crippled  ship  and  a  defeated  officer,  at 
this  time,  was  very  unwelcome ;  for  it  infused  fresh  spirits 
into  the  rebels,  and  showed  them  that  ships  were  sometimes 
obliged  to  retreat  from  batteries. 

Though  every  thing  was  apparently  ready  for  going  on 
service  by  the  15th  August,  yet  it  was  the  26th  before  any 
enterprise  was  undertaken.  On  the  morning  preceding 
that  day,  Lord  Howe  (the  Commander-in-chief,)  sent  for 
Sir  George  Collier,  and  acquainted  him,  that  early  next 
morning  the  troops  were  to  make  a  descent  in  Gravesend 
Bay,  upon  Long  Island,  under  cover  of  the  fire  of  the 
men-of-war.  The  Admiral,  therefore,  directed  Sir  George 
to  place  the  Rainbow  in  the  Narrows^  abreast  of  a  large 
stone  building,  called  Denyke's,  (where  he  understood  the 
rebels  had  cannon  and  a  strong  post,)  in  which  situation 
the  Rainbow  would  also  be  able  to  enfilade  the  road  lead- 
ing from  E"ew-York,  and  thereby  prevent  reinforcements 
being  sent  to  the  rebel  outposts,  as  well  as  to  their  troops, 
who  were  stationed  to  oppose  the  landing. 

By  the  dawn  of  day,  the  Rainbow  was  placed  as  the 
Admiral  had  directed.  The  principal  engineer  of  the 
army  had  come  on  board  in  the  night,  to  assist  in  di- 
recting the  fire,  and  to  point  out  any  bands  of  loyal  subjects^ 
who  might  possibly  approach,  with  an  intention  of  joining 
and  assisting  the  royal  army. 

The  rebels,  intimidated  at  the  tremendous  force  which 
appeared  in  the  flat  boats,  withdrew  their  outposts,  and 
suflered  the  King's  troops  to  land  without  the  least  oppo- 
sition. Sir  H.  Clinton,  with  the  grenadiers  and  light 
infantry  of  the  army,  got  first  on  shore.    They  were  soon 


412 


DOCUMENTS. 


after  followed  by  other  bodies  of  men,  making  in  all  about 
16^000: — with  these  last  came  General  Howe,  the  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  army,  who  marched  to  the  small 
village  of  Utrecht,  where  he  established  his  headquarters. 
Earl  Cornwallis  occupied  the  advanced  post  at  Flatbush,  a 
hamlet  six  miles  from  Utrecht. 

The  army  remained  in  this  situation  without  advancing, 
for  some  days ;  in  which  time  the  train  of  artillery,  am- 
munition, baggage,  and  provisions  were  landed.  Six 
regiments  of  the  Hessians  also  joined  the  army,  which 
amounted  now  to  upwards  of  20,000  men,  besides  those  who 
remained  on  Staten  Island. 

Ai  last,  General  Howe  began  his  march  towards  New- 
York,  the  army  moving  in  three  columns,  by  as  many 
different  roads.  Some  of  the  rebel  outposts  were  surprised, 
and  the  men  all  put  to  death  with  the  bayonet.  They  fled 
in  a  panic  wherever  the  royal  troops  appeared.  A  small 
stand  was  made  by  about  3,000  of  them,  who  found  them- 
selves hemmed  in :  2,500  of  these  were  presently  killed 
and  made  prisoners;  the  rest  frightened^  defeated,  and  dis- 
mayed, were  pursued  to  the  edge  of  a  ditch  of  a  temporary 
work  they  had  thrown  up,  into  which  the  victorious  troops 
loould  have  entered  with  them,  had  they  not  been  restrained 
by  the  most  positive  orders  of  the  General.  The  retreat 
was  sounded,  and  the  conquering  army  halted.  Their  ar- 
dour was,  by  this  means,  cruelly  checked;  and  one  of  the 
most  glorious  opportunities  of  enduig  the  rebellion  lost. 
It  was  said,  the  considerate  General,  careful  of  the  lives  of 
his  men,  intended  to  attack  these  paltry  retrenchments  by 
way  of  sajnent.  However  that  was,  the  rebels  did  not  give 
him  the  trouble  of  breaking  ground  before  it,  but  in  silence 
and  terror  abandoned  their  works  as  soon  as  it  was  dark, 
and  crossing  the  East  River  in  boats,  got  safely  over,  ivith- 
out  obstruction,  to  l^ew-York,  with  their  artillery,  baggage. 


DOCUMENTS. 


413 


and  provisions,  where  they  joined  General  Washington 
and  the  remainder  of  the  rebel  army. 

The  enemy's  loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  in  the  different 
skirmishes  on  Long  Island,  was  about  4,000  men. 
Amongst  the  prisoners  were  two  of  their  Generals, —  one 
named  Sullivan,  who  had  been  bred  a  lawyer;  the  other 
calling  himself  Lord  Stirling.  About  6,000  rebels,  com- 
manded by  old  Gates,  fled  across  the  water,  who  might 
all  have  been  taken  prisoners,  had  our  troops  been  suffered 
to  push  on,  or  even  if  the  men-of-war  had  proceeded  to  at- 
tack the  batteries,  as  by  getting  into  the  East  River  they 
would  have  prevented  boats  from  passing.  Washington's 
army,  with  this  reinforcement,  amounted  to  11,000  men; 
ours  was  at  least  double  that  number.  As  fresh  reinforce- 
ments from  Staten  Island  had  joined  the  General,  the 
men-of-war  had  moved  gradually  up  as  the  troops  ad- 
vanced, and  when  the  latter  got  to  the  margin  of  the  East 
River,  (which  was  about  half  a  mile  across,)  the  ships  an- 
chored just  out  of  gunshot  of  the  batteries  of  iTew-York. 

The  having  to  deal  with  a  generous,  merciful, /or6€ann^ 
enemy,  who  would  take  no  unfair  advantages^  must  surely 
have  been  highly  satisfactory  to  General  Washington,  and 
he  was  certainly  very  deficient  in  not  expressing  his  grati- 
tude to  General  Howe  for  his  kind  behaviour  towards  him. 
Far  from  taking  the  rash  resolution  of  hastily  passing  over 
the  East  River  after  Gates,  and  crushing  at  once  a  frightened, 
trembling  enemy,  he  generously  gave  them  time  to  recover 
from  their  panic, —  to  throw  up ivorks, —  to  make  new 
arrangements, —  and  to  recover  from  the  torpid  state  the 
rebellion  appeared  in  from  its  late  shock. 

For  many  succeeding  days  did  our  brave  veterans,  consist- 
ing of  twenty- two  thousand  men,  stand  on  the  banks  of 
the  East  River,  like  Moses  on  Mount  Pisgah,  looking  at 
their  promised  land,  little  more  than  half  a  mile  distant. 
The  rebel's  standards  waved  insolently  in  the  air,  from 


414 


DOCUMENTS. 


many  diflerent  quarters  of  ISTew  York.  The  British  troops 
could  scarcely,  contain  their  indignation  at  the  sight  and  at 
their  own  inaciivity  ;  the  officers  were  displeased  and  amazed, 
not  being  able  to  account  for  the  strange  delay.  Gates 
fled  across  the  river  on  the  29th  August.  The  Rainbow 
(with  Sir  George  Collier),  went  to  sea  from  thence  on 
another  service  on  the  8th  September,  at  which  time  the 
royal  army  still  remained  on  the  same  spot  inactive,  and 
without  making  any  motions  whatever.  How  long  they 
continued  this  state  of  torpidity,  or  what  followed  their 
reanimation,  cannot  have  place  here ;  these  pages  being 
only  intended  to  give  an  account  of  the  services  in  which 
Sir  George  Collier  was  himself  particularly  engaged. 

[^Detail  of  some  Particular  Services  performed  in  America,  during  the 
years  1776-9,  etc.  Printed  for  Itliiel  Town  from  a  manuscript ;  New  York, 
1835  ;  and  in  iliGNaval  Chronicle,  1841.] 


[  Ko.  36.  ] 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  an  Officer  in  the  Maryland  Battalion, 
dated  Long  Island,  Wednesday  Morning,  daybreak. 

August  28,  1776. 
I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you  that  I  have  survived  a 
very  warm  engagement  yesterday.  Our  battalion  has  suf- 
fered much  ;  a  great  number  of  both  officers  and  men  are 
killed  and  missing.  We  retreated  through  a  very  heavy 
fire,  and  escaped  by  swimming  over  a  river,  or  creek  rather. 
My  height  was  of  use  to  me,  as  I  touched  almost  all  the 
way.  A  number  of  men  got  drowned.  I  have  lost  no 
officers,  and  but  few  men.  Captain  Veazey,  and  Lieutenant 
Butler  fell  early  in  the  engagement.  We  are  now  all  safe 
in  our  lines  and  forts. 


DOCUMENTS. 


415 


The  affair  yesterday  was  only  a  skirmish  on  the  Island, 
about  three  miles  from  our  works.  The  particulars  I  can 
not  now  give  you,  but  we  were  deceived,  and  at  one  time 
surrounded  with,  I  am  convinced,  ten  thousand  men.  Our 
General,  Lord  Siirling,  is  missing. 

[American  Arclmes,  5th  Series,  fol.,  1195,  vol.  i.] 


37.  ] 


Return  of  Prisoners  taken  on  Long-Island,  [by  the  British'], 
August  27th,  1776. 


COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 


Three  Generals. 
Major-G-eneral  Sullivan, 
Brigadier-General  Lord  Stirling, 
Brigadier-G-eneral  Udell. 

Three  Colonels. 

Pennsylvania  Rifle  Regiment  1 

Pennsylvania  Musketeers     -  1 

New-Jersey  Militia  -    -    -  1 

Four  Lieutenant-  Colonels. 

Pennsylvania  Rifle  Regiment  1 

Pennsylvania  Militia-    -    -  2 

17th  Continental  Regiment  -  1 

Three  Majors. 

Pennsylvania  Militia  -    -    -  1 

17th  Continental  Regiment  1 

22d  Continental  Regiment    -  1 

Eighteen  Captains. 

Pennsylvania  Rifle  Regiment  2 

Pennsylvania  Musketeers     -  4 

Pennsylvania  Militia-    -    -  5 

17th  Continental  Regiment  4 

Train  of  Artillery  -    -    -    -  1 

Maryland  Provincials    -    -  2 


11 
1 

6 
6 
2 


Forty-  Three  Lieutenants. 
Provincial  Rifle  Regiments 
Pennsylvania  Musketeers-  ■ 
Pennsylvania  Militia  -    -  - 
17th  Continental  Regiment 
Delaware  Battalion     -    -  - 
1st  Battalion  New  York  Con- 
tinental  5 

11th  Battalion  Continental  1 
New-Jersey  Militia  -  -  -  1 
1st  Battalion  Maryland  Inde 

pendents   

Long  Island  Militia  -    -  - 
Train  of  Artillery  .    -  - 
Maryland  Provincials     -  - 

Eleven  Ensigns. 
Pennsylvania  Musketeers 
17th  Continental  Regiment 
Maryland  Provincials    -  - 
Staff. 

Adjutant  1 

Surgeons  3 

Volunteers  2 

Privates  1006 


Total  - 


1097 


N.B.  Nine  Officers  and  fifty-eight  Privates  of  the  above  wounded. 

Jos.  LoRiNG,  Commis.  of  Prisoners. 


[Amer^ican  Archives,  fol.  1258,  vol.  i,  5th  Series.] 


416 


DOCUMENTS. 


Return  of  Brass  and  Iron  Ordnance  taken  from  the  enemy  in 
the  engagement  on  the  27th  of  August,  1776,  and  found  in 
their  different  Redoubts  on  Long-Island  and  Governour's 
Island. 

Camp  at  Newtown,  September  3,  1776. 

Brass  Ordnance  taken  in  the  engagement  27  August,  1776. 
One  five  and  half-inch  howitzer,  four  6-pounders,  one  3-pounder. 
Total  of  Brass  Ordnance,  6. 


Iron  Ordnance  found  in  the  different  Forts  on  LoNG-IsLAND  and 
Governour's  Island. 

Six  32-pounders,  one  24-pounder,  four  18-pounders,  two  12- 
pounders,  two  9-pouuders,  eight  6-pounders,  three  3-pounders. 
Total  of  Iron  Ordnance,  26. 

A  quantity  of  shot,  shells,  ammunition,  intrenching  tools,  small- 
arms,  a  number  of  long  pikes,  ammunition  carts,  and  many  other 
articles  not  at  present  ascertained. 

W.  Howe,  Commandei'-in- Chief. 

[Ibid.] 


Return  of  the  Killed,  Wounded,  and  Missing,  of  the  following 
Corps,  August  27,  1776. 

First  Battalion  of  Light-Infantry. —  Four  Rank  and  File,  killed  j 
two  Sergeants,  one  Drummer,  twenty-one  Rank  and  File,  wounded, 
one  Rank  and  File,  Missing. 

Second  Battalion  of  Light- Infantry. —  Four  Rank  and  File  killed; 
one  Captain,  two  Lieutenants,  one  Sergeant,  twenty-seven  Rank  File 
wounded. 

Third  Battalion  of  Light- Infantry. — Three  Rank  and  File,  killed ; 
six  Rank  and  File  wounded. 


DOCUMENTS.  417 

First  Battalion  of  Grenadiers. — One  Rank  and  File,  killed  ; 
four  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

Second  Battalion  of  Grenadiers. —  Two  Captains,  one  Ser- 
geant, nine  Rank  and  File,  killed  ;  one  Lieutenant-Colonel,  one 
Captain,  three  Lieutenants,  one  Drummer,  thirtj-two  Rank  and 
File,  wounded ;  one  Lieutenant,  one  Sergeant,  twenty  Rank  and 
File,  missing. 

Third  Battalion  of  Grenadiers.  —  One  Rank  and  File, 
wounded. 

Fourth  Battalion  of  Grenadiers. — One  Rank  and  File,  killed  ] 
one  Sergeant,  eleven  Rank  and  File,  wounded ;  one  Rank  and 
File,  missing. 

33(7  Regiment. —  Four  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 
4i2d  Regiment. —  One   Lieutenant,  nine  Rank   and  File, 
wounded. 

FIRST  BRIGADE. 

A^th  Regiment. —  None  killed,  wounded,  or  missing. 
15^^  Regiment. —  Two  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 
21th  Regiment. —  None  killed,  wounded,  or  missing. 
45^A  Regiment. —  None  killed,  wounded,  or  missing. 

SECOND  BRIGADE. 

bth  Regiment. —  None  killed,  wounded,  or  missing. 
2Qth    ditto.  ditto.  ditto. 

35^7i    ditto.  ditto.  ditto, 

ditto.  ditto.  ditto. 


THIRD  BRIGADE. 

10^^  Regiment. — None  killed,  wounded  or  missing. 
37?/t     ditto.       One  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 
38^^     ditto.       Three  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 
52d      ditto.       One  Rank  and  File,  killed;  seven  Rank  and 
File,  wounded ;  one  Rank  and  File,  missing. 

FOURTH  BRIGADE. 

VI th  Regiment. —  One  Captain,  two  Rank  and  File,  killed;  one 
Lieutenant,  one  Sergeant,  nineteen  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

40^A  Regiment, —  One  Lieutenant-Colonel,  one  Rank  and  File, 
killed  ;  five  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

46^7i  Regiment. —  Four  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

bhth  Regiment. —  One  Rank  and  File,  killed ;  three  Rank  and  File, 
wounded. 

53 


418 


DOCUMENTS. 


FIFTH  BRIGADE. 

22c?  Regiment. —  One  Rank  and  File,  killed ;  one  Rank  and  File, 
wounded. 

43c?  Regiment. —  One  Rank  and  File,  killed. 

54^7i  Regiment. —  None  killed,  wounded,  or  missing. 

63c?  Regiment. —  None  killed,  wounded,  or  missing. 

SIXTH  BRIGADE. 

23c?  Regiment. —  One  Sergeant,  six  Rank  and  File,  killed  ;  one 
Captain,  one  Sergeant,  twenty-six  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

44^7i  Regiment. —  Ten  Rank  and  File,  killed ;  one  Lieutenant,  one 
Sergeant,  seventeen  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

57#/i  Regiment. —  One  Rank  and  File,  killed. 

Q4ith  Regiment. —  None  killed,  wounded,  or  missing. 

SEVENTH  BRIGADE. 

*l\st  Regiment. —  Three  Rank  and  File,  killed;  two  Sergeants, 
nine  Rank  and  File,  wounded ;  six  Rank  and  File  missing. 

New-York  Companies. —  Four  Rank  and  File,  killed;  two  Ser- 
geants, one  Drummer,  fourteen  Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

Royal  Artillery. —  One  Lieutenant,  one  Sergeant,  killed;  five 
Rank  and  File,  wounded. 

Total :  One  Lieutenant-Colonel,  three  Captains,  one  Lieutenant, 
three  Sergeants,  fifty-three  Rank  and  File,  killed ;  one  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  three  Captains,  eight  Lieutenants,  eleven  Sergeants,  three 
Drummers,  two  hundred  and  thirty-one  Rank  and  File,  wounded ; 
one  Lieutenant,  one  Sergeant,  twenty-nine  Rank  and  File,  missing. 

List  of  Officers,  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 

Killed. —  Captain  Sir  Alexander  Murray      -    17th  Regiment. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  Grant  -      -      40th  ditto. 

"  Captain  Nelson      -       -  .      -    52d  ditto. 

"  Captain  Logan     -       -  -      -      2d  Regiment  Marines. 

"  Second  Lieutenant  Lovell  -      -    Royal  Artillery, 

Wounded. —  Lieutenant  Morgan  -      -       17th  Regiment. 

"  Captain  Grove     -      .  -      -    23d  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant  Crammond  -      -      42d  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant  Mair        -  -      -    43d  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant  Weir     -  -      -      43d  ditto. 

"  Captain  Brown    -      -  -      -    44th  ditto. 

"  Captain  Kennedy   -  -       -      44th  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant  Brown     -  -      -   44th  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant-Colonel  Monckton  45th  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant  Powell     -  -      -    49th  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant  Addison  -       -      52d  ditto. 

"  Lieutenant  Nugent    -  -      -    1st  Regiment  Marines. 


i 


DOCUMENTS.  419 

Missing. — Lieutenant  Ragg,  2d  Regiment  Marines,  prisoner. 
Hessian  Troops. —  Two  Rank  and  File,  killed ;  twenty-three  Rank  and 
File,  wounded. 

Major  Paoli,  Captain  O'Reilly,  Lieutenant  Donop,  wounded, 

W.  Howe,  Commander-in-Chief, 

[American  Archives,  vol.  i,  5tli  series,  folio  1258.] 


[       38.  ] 

Affidavit  of  Lieut.  Robert  Troup,  made  before  Gouverneur 
Morris  loho  was  ordered  by  the  Convention  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  to  pre'pare  a  narrative  of  the  conduct  of  British 
officers  and  troops  towards  the  American  prisoners,  etc.,  and 
!         to  collect  affidavits  for  that  purpose. 

Dutchess  Count}/,  ss  :  —  Robert  Troup,  Esquire,  late  lieu- 
tenant in  Colo.  Lasher's  battalion  of  militia,  being  duly 
sworn  upon  the  Holy  Evangelists  of  Almighty  God, 
deposeth  and  saith,  that  he,  this  deponent,  about  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  August 
last,  was  made  a  prisoner  of  war  on  Long  Island,  by  a 
detachment  of  the  British  troops ;  that  deponent,  together 
with  Lieutenant  Dunscombe,  Adjutant  Hooglandt  and  two 
volunteers,  were  carried  immediately  to  the  main  body  of 
the  British  army,  and  interrogated  by  the  generals  of  the 
same ;  that  they  were  there  threatened  with  being  hung 
for  entering  into  the  American  service;  that  from  thence 
they  were  led  to  a  bouse  near  Flat  Bush;  that  several  of 
the  British  officers  came  there,  by  whom  they  were  grossly 
insulted  ;  that  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  they  were 
led  in  the  rear  of  the  army  to  Bedford  ;  that  while  there, 
deponent,  with  seventeen  other  officers  who  had  been 
made  prisoners  that  morning,  were  confined  under  the 
provost  guard,  in  a  small  soldiers'  tent ;  in  which,  they 
were  left  two  nights  and  near  three  days ;  that  it  rained 


420 


DOCUMENTS. 


very  hard  during  the  greater  part  of  the  time,  and  the 
prisoners  were  obliged  by  turns  to  go  out  of  the  tent, 
there  not  being  sufficient  room  for  them  to  stay  within  it ; 
that  about  sixty  private  soldiers  were  also  kept  prisoners 
at  the  same  place,  having  also  one  tent,  and  only  one,  to 
shelter  them  from  the  weather ;  that  while  deponent  was 
confined  at  Bedford,  he,  together  with  the  officers  with 
him,  were  much  abused  and  treated  with  the  grossest  lan- 
guage by  almost  all  the  British  officers,  and  in  their  pre- 
sence by  the  British  soldiers ;  that  the  provost  marshall, 
one  Cunningham,  brought  with  him  a  negro  with  a  halter, 
telling  them  the  negro  had  already  hung  several,  and  that 
he  imagined  he  would  hang  some  more,  and  that  the  negro 
and  Cunningham  also  insulted  the  prisoners  shewing  them 
the  halter,  and  in  like  manner  with  the  British  officers  and 
soldiers,  calling  them  rebels,  scoundrels,  villains,  robbers, 
murderers,  and  so  forth;  that  from  Bedford  the  deponent 
and  the  other  prisoners  were  led  to  Flat  Bush,  where  they 
were  confined  a  week  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Lefferts,  and 
kept  upon  a  very  short  allowance  of  biscuit  and  salt  pork ; 
that  several  of  the  Hessian  soldiers  while  they  were  con- 
fined at  Flat  Bush,  took  pity  upon  their  situation  and  gave 
them  some  apples,  and  at  one  time  some  fresh  beef,  which 
much  relieved  them ;  that  from  Flat  Bush,  deponent,  with 
between  seventy  and  eighty  officers  who  were  prisoners 
there,  were  put  on  board  a  small  snow  lying  between  Grave- 
send  and  the  Hook,  which  had  been  employed  in  bringing 
cattle  from  England ;  that  they  were  kept  on  board  the 
said  snow  six  weeks,  and  obliged  to  lay  upon  the  dung  and 
filth  of  the  cattle  without  any  bedding  or  blankets ;  that 
during  their  stay  in  the  said  snow,  observing  an  old  main 
sail  which  lay  on  the  quarter  deck,  the  prisoners  begged 
the  captain  to  permit  them  to  take  it  into  the  hold  and  lie 
upon  it,  which  request  was  refused  with  much  opprobrious 
language,  the  captain  damning  them  for  a  pack  of  rebels ; 


DOCUMENTS. 


421 


and  telling  them  the  hold  was  good  enough  for  such 
scoundrels ;  that  while  on  board  the  said  snow  they  were 
much  afflicted  with  lice  and  other  vermin ;  that  the  prison- 
ers applied  for  soap  and  fresh  water  to  wash  their  clothes 
but  were  refused ;  that  while  they  were  confined  in  the 
said  snow  they  were  obliged  to  drink  stinking  water  which 
had  been  brought  with  them  from  England,  and  when  they 
asked  for  better  they  were  told  it  was  good  enough  for 
rebels ;  that  during  their  stay  on  board  the  said  snow  they 
were  allowed  only  six  ounces  of  pork  and  a  pint  of  flour, 
or  the  same  proportion  in  biscuit  for  each  man ;  that  they 
were  obliged  to  dress  all  their  food  with  their  stinking 
water  above  mentioned ;  and  for  a  considerable  time  were 
obliged  to  wait  until  all  the  ship's  crew  had  eaten  their 
breakfast  and  dinner  before  they  were  allowed  to  dress 
their  victuals ;  that  during  their  confinement,  having  pro- 
cured a  little  money  from  their  friends,  they  employed  the 
captain  of  the  transport  to  go  on  shore  and  purchase  neces- 
saries for  them,  which  he  refused  to  do  without  a  very 
large  commission,  charging  them  fifteen  coppers  for  a  loat 
of  bread;  that  from  the  transport  they  were  brought  to 
the  city  of  New  York,  and  confined  in  a  house  near  Bride- 
well, where  they  were  kept  upon  the  same  short  allowance 
as  they  had  been  on  board  the  transport,  with  the  addition 
of  one  ounce  of  butter  per  week,  and  a  little  rice  for  each 
man,  procured  at  the  request  of  Govr.  Skeene,  as  deponent 
was  informed  ;  that  when  the  prisoners  were  first  brought 
to  the  said  city  they  were  not  allowed  any  fuel,  and  after- 
wards only  a  small  quantity  of  coal,  which  did  not  suffice 
them  more  than  three  days  out  of  a  week;  that  during 
their  continuance  in  l^ew  York,  the  allowance  of  provi- 
sions was  d-ealt  out  very  negligently,  and  from  the  scanti- 
ness and  quality,  and  the  bad  state  of  health  they  laboured 
under,  he  doth  verily  believe  that  most  of  them  would 
have  died  if  they  had  not  been  supported  by  the  benevo- 


422 


DOCUMENTS. 


lence  of  some  poor  persons  and  common  prostitutes,  who 
took  pity  of  their  miserable  situation  and  alleviated  it ;  that 
the  prisoners  were  continued  in  confinement  at  New  York 
until  a  short  time  after  the  taking  of  Fort  Washington, 
when  they  were  allowed  to  walk  about  the  town  ;  that 
deponent  understood  from  several  persons  that  the  privates 
who  were  prisoners  in  the  city  of  New  York,  were  uni- 
formly treated  with  great  inhumanity ;  that  they  were  kept 
in  a  starving  condition,  without  fuel  or  the  common  neces- 
saries of  life ;  that  they  were  obliged  to  obey  the  calls  of 
nature  in  the  respective  places  of  their  confinement,  and 
from  disease  and  want  of  care  and  attention,  and  by  the 
mere  dint  of  hard  usage  died  daily  in  great  numbers,  so 
that  of  the  prisoners  who  had  been  taken  on  Long  Island, 
near  one-half  have  died.  And  this  deponent  further  saith 
that  while  he  was  as  aforesaid  confined  on  board  the  said 
transport,  Brigadier-Genl.  Woodhull  was  also  brought  on 
board  in  a  shocking  mangled  condition  ;  that  deponent 
asked  the  General  the  particulars  of  his  capture,  and  was 
told  by  the  said  G  eneral  that  he  had  been  taken  by  a  party  of 
light  horse  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Oliver  Delancey  ; 
that  he  was  asked  by  the  said  captain  if  he  would  surren- 
der; that  he  answered  in  the  affirmative,  provided  he 
would  treat  him  like  a  gentleman,  which  Capt.  Delancey 
assured  him  he  would,  whereupon  the  General  delivered 
his  sword,  and  that  immediately  after,  the  said  Oliver  De- 
lancey, junr.,  struck  him,  and  others  of  the  said  party  imi- 
tating his  example,  did  cruelly  hack  and  cut  him  in  the 
manner  he  then  was ;  that  although  he  was  in  such  a  man- 
gled and  horrid  situation,  he  had  nevertheless  been  obliged 
to  sleep  on  the  bare  fioor  of  the  said  transport,  if  a  lieuten- 
ant of  the  man-of-war  who  guarded  the  transport,  had  not 
lent  him  a  matrass;  that  Gen.  Woodhull  was  afterwards 
carried  to  the  hospital  in  the  church  of  New  Utrecht  where 
he  perished,  as  deponent  was  on  good  authority  informed. 


DOCUMENTS. 


423 


through  want  of  care  and  necessaries ;  and  further  this 
deponent  saith  not. 


Hessian  Account  of  the  Movements  of  the  Allied  Forces^  and  the 
Actions  in  which  they  were  engaged  on  Long  Island. 

On  the  11th  of  June/  when  General  Howe  had  gained 
the  intelligence  of  the  coming  of  fresh  troops  from  Europe, 
he  set  sail  again  with  his  troops  from  Halifax,  and  arrived 
off  Sandy  Hook  on  the  29th.  He  designed  to  take  up  a 
position  in  or  near  [N'ew-York,  so  that  no  time  might  be 
lost,  on  the  arrival  of  reinforcements,  in  combining  their 
forces  with  his  own.  He  soon  after  landed  his  troops  on 
Staten-Island,  right  opposite  Long-Island.  All  his  active 
forces  at  that  time,  taken  together,  amounted  to  about 
9000  men.  Here  he  resolved  to  await  the  arrival  of  the 
fleet,  with  the  troops  from  Europe,  and  of  General  Clinton 
from  Carolina,  who  was  just  returning  from  his  unfortu- 
nate expedition. 

These  forces,  in  proportion  very  inadequate  in  a  country 
so  large,  and  thrown  in  a  state  of  excitement,  were  parcelled 
out  at  exceeding  great  distances,  taking  up  the  vast  extent 
of  nearly  two  hundred  German  miles,  being  the  distance 
from  Canada  down  to  South-Carolina.  A  connection  be- 
tween the  different  corps,  or  an  energetic  mutual  aid,  was 
therefore  out  of  the  question. 


KoB.  Troup. 


[  Journal  Provincicd  Congress,  vol.  ii,  p.  410.] 


[  Fo.  40.  ] 


^  According  to  others  on  the  6th  of  June. 


424  DOCUMENTS. 

Let  us  now  fix  our  eyes  upon  the  two  men  whom  the 
Ministry  had  entrusted,  in  the  present  war,  with  the  supreme 
command  of  the  British  land  and  naval  forces  in  America, 
and  who  were  to  maintain  the  supposed  rights  of  England,  in 
this  part  of  the  glohe.  The  two  brothers  Howe  were  known 
as  men  who  owed  their  high  position  not  merely  to  favor  but 
also  to  merit ;  the  public  therefore  thought  such  a  selection 
perfectly  justified.  In  former  battles  they  had  on  several 
occasions  given  proofs  of  their  valor  and  sagacity.  Vis- 
count Richard,  the  admiral  and  elder  brother,  was  an 
enterprising,  energetic  and  sober  character,  who  had 
already,  as  an  officer  in  the  navy,  reaped  honors  and 
valuable  knowledge.  In  his  demeanor  he  showed,  beside 
the  inherent  pride  of  the  Briton,  a  cold  reserve  to  those 
who  were  not  of  his  own  rank,  and  a  profound  contempt 
for  those,  who,  in  his  opinion,  had  audaciously  risen 
against  their  mother  country  and  their  king,  and  whom  he 
looked  upon  as  nothing  more  than  miserable  rebels  deserv- 
ing punishment. 

The  younger  brother,  William  the  chevalier,  had  ac- 
quired similar  distinctions  on  land  to  those  the  elder 
brother  had  gained  at  sea.  He  was  considered  one  of  the 
most  experienced  and  best  qualified  generals  of  the  British 
army,  and  had  already  fought  with  glory  in  the  previous 
war  in  America.  In  respect  to  his  disposition,  he  was 
very  difierent  from  his  brother;  for  although  he  main- 
tained an  aristocratic  deportment,  he  was  more  affable 
and  complaisant,  but  had  neither  the  other's  energy 
nor  his  activity,  and  sometimes  betrayed,  even  in  the 
most  important  affairs,  a  degree  of  carelessness  and  slug- 
gishness, which  was  unpardonable.  The  elder  brother 
w^as  sober  and  abstemious,  but  William  was  much  given 
to  sensual  pleasures  and  enjoyments  of  every  kind,  fre- 
quently forgetting  in  their  pursuit  the  high  duties  of  a 
general.    He  kept  at  all  times  a  good  kitchen,  and  usually 


DOCUMENTS. 


425 


also  a  mistress,  and  liked  to  see  others  enjoy  themselves 
in  the  same  way.  He  was  easily  influenced  by  those  in 
whom  he  often  too  rashly  placed  confidence,  and  readily 
suflTered  himself  to  be  guided  or  persuaded  by  persons 
whose  capacities  he  far  overrated.  Possessed  of  many 
good  qualities,  his  weaknesses  were  not  condemned  with 
such  severity  as  they  would  be  at  the  present  time;  indeed 
many  looked  upon  them  as  evidences  of  knightly  character. 
Thus  it  happened  that  Sir  William  was  loved  and  respected 
by  the  officers  and  men  of  the  two  nationalities  more  than 
any  other  general.^  The  British  government  probably 
thought,  that  in  the  case  of  two  brothers  who  had  hitherto 
lived  in  harmony  together,  their  accordance  might  like- 
wise bring  about  harmonious  activity  in  their  common 
operations.  It  was  this  view  which  confirmed  them  in  the 
opinion  that  they  had  made  a  good  selection.  But  let  us 
look  at  the  result. 

The  British  commander-in-chief  was  already  revolving 
in  his  mind  the  scheme  of  crossing  over  to  Long-Island 
and  dislodging  the  enemy  who  had  fortified  themselves 
there  in  order  to  cover  ^ew  York,  a  place  of  much  im- 
portance. The  reinforcements  having  arrived,  he  now 
gave  the  necessary  orders  for  that  purpose ;  the  Hessians 
were  selected  to  cooperate. 

In  the  first  place  the  brigade^  Von  Stirn  was  ordered  to 
advance  to  the  Jersey  sound,  an  arm  of  the  sea  which 
separates  the  island  from  the  mainland  and  there  to  relieve 
the  35th  English  regiment  and  part  of  the  5th.  On  the 
morning  of  the  19th  August,  the  brigade  set  out  on  the 
march,  the  tents  and  baggage  being  placed  on  wagons. 
The  strange  vehicles  —  little  chariots  painted  red  with  two 
ponies  to  each  —  appeared  new  and  odd-looking  to  our  good 

'  A  Hessian  officer  savs  in  speaking  of  this  man,  "General  Howe  is  more 
than  a  whole  army." 
^  Regiments  Von  Kuvphausen,  Von  Lossberg  and  Rail. 
54 


426 


DOCUMENTS. 


Hessians.  When  the  brigade  marched  into  their  destined 
place,  the  English  officers  were  so  civil  as  to  invite  the 
Germans  to  dinner.  As  the  night  set  in  the  relieving 
took  place.  The  outposts  were  set  very  near  to  those  of 
the  enemy,  who  occupied  the  opposite  shore  of  the  narrow 
sound.  The  whole  brigade  was  placed  along  the  shore, 
divided  off  in  little  detachments.  The  regiment  of  body- 
guards took  its  position  at  Amboy  ferry.  The  camp  was 
pitched  in  two  lines,  but  a  few  days  after  it  had  to  be  re- 
moved a  little  further  back,  as  the  Americans,  with  their 
long  rifles  kept  shooting  at  the  Hessians  from  the  opposite 
shore;  and  as  in  this  manner  the  outposts  were  continually 
molested,  Grenke,  a  lieutenant  of  the  artillery,  was  ordered 
to  send  a  few  cannon  balls  into  Amboy,  whereupon  the 
Americans  kept  more  quiet.  The  breadth  of  the  strait 
might  be  somewhat  more  than  three  hundred  paces. 
The  Americans,  who  saw  for  the  first  time  the  German 
new-comers  they  so  much  feared,  assembled  in  clusters  on 
the  shores,  more  to  satisfy  their  curiosity,  than  because 
they  expected  a  demonstration  from  this  side.  A  Hessian 
officer  says  in  his  journal;  "They  stretched  forth  their 
necks  excessively.  Some  of  them  were  dressed  in  regi- 
mentals, but  most  of  them  in  the  accoutrements  of  an 
assembled  mob." 

The  landing  of  the  newly  arrived  reinforcements  had 
spread  not  a  little  fear  among  the  Americans.  They  stood 
in  awe  principally  of  the  Germans,  whom  they  imagined 
to  be  half  devils.  A  great  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  places  had  therefore  fled  in  the  utmost  haste  to  the 
greater  cities,  principally  New  York,  leaving  behind  their 
goods  and  chattels,  and  sometimes  their  money  and  pre- 
cious stones.  This  fear  was  still  further  increased  when  the 
troops  possessed  themselves  by  force  of  the  quarters  assigned 
to  them,  which  were  at  first  refused  by  the  refractory 
inhabitants. 


DOCUMENTS. 


427 


The  greatest  moderation  in  their  dealings  with  the  in- 
habitants, even  the  disaffected  ones,  had  been  enjoined  upon 
the  soldiers,  and  most  rigidly  enforced  by  their  superiors, 
for  they  still  indulged  the  hope  of  an  amicable  settlement 
of  the  respective  differences,  and  for  that  reason  they  desired 
to  see  his  Majesty's  "  subjects"  treated  with  forbearance, 
as  far  as  possible,  and  everything  avoided  that  might  pro- 
voke them  more.  This  was  the  earnest  wish  of  the  British 
as  well  as  the  German  generals ;  however,  this  moderation 
was  not  appreciated,  and  they  treated  the  quartered  soldiers 
in  the  rudest  manner,  nay,  they  had  a  good  mind  to  thrust 
them  out  of  doors  without  ceremony.  This  of  course 
gave  rise  to  all  sorts  of  provocations  and  excesses,  since 
both  officers  and  men  considered  themselves  as  warriors  in 
the  country  of  an  enemy. 

When  the  first  fear  and  excitement  among  the  popula- 
tion had  subsided,  and  people  had  become  aware  that, 
after  all,  they  had  not  to  deal  with  robbers  and  anthropo- 
phagi, the  fugitives  gradually  returned  to  their  homes, 
and  were  not  a  little  surprised  to  find  not  only  their  dwell- 
ings as  they  left  them,  but  also  the  furniture,  their  effects, 
aye,  even  their  money  and  trinkets.  The  fact  was  that  the 
Germans,  used  to  discipline,  did  not  ask  for  more  than  they 
were  entitled  to.  Their  mutual  relations  now  took  a  more 
friendly  form,  and  it  was  not  a  rare  case  that  a  thorough 
republican  would  treat  the  quartered  soldier  like  one 
entitled  to  his  hospitality,  and  carefully  nurse  the  sick  or 
wounded  one.  Those  parts  of  the  country  that  had  just 
been  occupied,  enjoying  a  mild  climate,  and  o:ffering  to  the 
view  their  rich  and  alternating  natural  beauties,  as  well  as 
their  great  fertility,  bore  a  paradisaical  appearance;  the 
most  delicious  fruits,  the  most  odoriferous  and  beautiful 
flowers,  grew  here  almost  wild;  everywhere  neat  and 
smiling  villas  and  villages ;  newly  planned  cities,  growing 
visibly  in  size ;  prosperity,  nay,  luxury,  among  the  inhabit- 


428 


DOCUMENTS. 


ants,  who  with  trifling  exertion  made  an  easy  and  abund- 
ant living.  Almost  every  owner  of  a  little  estate  kept 
his  gig  and  his  black  servants.  There  was  scarcely  a 
trace  of  war,  especially  on  Staten  Island  and  Long  Island, 
in  spite  of  their  being,  since  its  beginning,  the  scene  of 
action,  now  seized  by  the  European,  now  by  the  American 
party.  The  Germans  were  not  a  little  surprised  to  see 
people  living  in  such  affluence  and  comfort  revolt  against 
a  government  under  whose  admistration  they  seemed  to 
be  doing  so  well ;  and  how  trifling  were  the  taxes  and 
duties  in  this  country,  when  compared  with  those  of  the 
German  States.  A  country  squire  in  Germany  hardly 
lived  so  comfortably  in  his  castle  as  the  most  ordinary 
farmer  on  his  acres  hereabouts.  The  commander-in-chief 
who  could  now  dispose  of  35,000  choice  troops,^  went  to 
work  with  vigor  in  order  to  dislodge  the  Americans  from 
Long  Island  where  they  had  strongly  intrenched  them- 
selves, chiefly  near  Brooklyn.  This  long-drawn  island, 
opposite  Staten  Island,  is  separated  from  the  latter  by  an 
inlet  about  an  English  mile  wide,  called  the  Narrows,  in 
which  the  British  ships  had  cast  anchor.  At  the  western 
end  of  the  island,  opposite  New  York,  lay  the  village  of 
Brooklyn,  and  before  this  place  rose  at  that  time  some 
wooded  heights,  which  had  been  strongly  garrisoned  and 
fortified  by  the  Americans.  These  places  were  separated 
by  a  strait,  which  in  this  place  is  not  quite  an  English 
mile  wide.  Before  the  Brooklyn  entrenchments  a  ridge  of 
hills  extends  across  the  narrower  side  of  the  island  —  the 
heights  of  Gs^^iana.^    About  the  distance^  of  two  miles  and 


^  The  united  forces  England  had  in  America  in  the  year  1776,  are  stated 
to  have  been  55,000  men,  land  forces,  and  28,000  marines.  The  number  of 
German  troops  included  in  the  above,  is  estimated  at  16,968  men.  S. 
JSprenel's  History  of  the  American  Revolution,  p.  141. 

^  Gowanus. 

Here  aad  in  what  follows,  English  miles  are  meant. 


DOCUMENTS. 


429 


a  half  from  those  heights  near  Brooklyn,  beginning  at 
the  IsTarrows,  three  highways  run,  the  left  one  brings  you 
to  Bedford,  and  from  there  further  on,  through  a  narrow 
passage,  to  the  village  of  Jamaica.  The  central  one  runs 
across  the  heights  to  the  village  of  Flatbush,  and  the  third, 
to  the  right,  along  Gowanus  bay,  consequently  south  of 
Brooklyn  to  the  Gravesend  bay.  On  this  side  they  knew 
that  the  fortifications  were  strong  and  lined  with  Washing- 
ton's choice  troops,  under  ITathanael  Greene,  one  of  the  best 
American  generals.  They  were  therefore  aware  that  they 
would  meet  with  a  warm  reception. 

Not  later  than  the  19th  the  British  troops  were  em- 
barked :  on  the  2l8t  the  Hessian  grenadiers  and  sharp- 
shooters, and  on  the  22d  the  first  division  under  Clinton 
went  ashore  on  Long  Island  near  Utrecht.  The  reserve 
coming  later,  was  commanded  by  Lord  Cornwallis.^  The 
Hessian  sharpshooters  and  grenadiers  formed  henceforth 
one  brigade  under  the  brave  Colonel  Van  Don  op,  which 
was  for  the  most  part  used  as  an  advanced  guard.  The 
Americans  had  left  the  shore  without  firing  one  shot,  but 
not  without  first  setting  some  cornhouses  on  fire.  Lord 
Cornwallis  was  immediately  detached  to  Flatbush,  at  the 
head  of  the  reserve,  together  with  the  van  under  Donop, 
and  six  pieces  of  ordnance,  with  the  direction  however 
not  to  attack  the  place  if  he  found  it  occupied.  Cornwallis 
took  his  position  near  Gravesend  and  pushed  Donop  up  to 
Flatbush.  When  the  latter  arrived  there  towards  evening, 
the  garrison,  consisting  of  three  hundred  riflemen,  immedi- 
ately withdrew,  a  few  cannon  balls  being  sent  after  them. 
On  the  morning  of  the  23d  the  right  wing  of  the  advanced 
guard  was  here  attacked,  but  when  a  cannon  was  mounted 
the  Americans  retired.     In  the  afternoon  they  essayed 


'To  this  corps  belongs  the  following  sections  of  English,  The  first 
brigade,  one  brigade  of  light  infantry,  the  reserve  under  Cornwallis,  and 
the  71st regiment. 


430 


DOCUMENTS. 


another  attack  on  the  left  wing,  drove  it  back  into  the 
village,  and  fired  some  houses.  At  last  they  were  driven 
back  by  the  artillery.  On  the  25th  a  stronger  body  of 
American  troops,  with  same  cannon,  pressed  forward ; 
the  village  was  bombarded  with  round  shot  and  grape 
shot,  but  the  artillery  on  this  side  again  repelled  the 
enemy.  The  Hessian  sharpshooters,  who  till  now  had 
been  stationed  as  pickets,  were  allowed  to  rest  a  little  on 
the  night  of  the  24th,  but  at  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
of  the  25th  they  were  again  alarmed  by  an  attack  and 
hastened  again  to  their  post;  the  Americans  were  soon 
rebufied,  and  when  on  the  26th  they  advanced  again  in 
greater  force,  Cornwallis  would  have  it  that  Donop  should 
retreat,  but  he  begged  to  be  allowed  to  stay,  and  intrenched 
himself. 

In  the  meantime  General  Von  Heister  had  also  crossed 
over  with  some  of  his  Hessians  from  Staten  to  Long  Island, 
on  the  25th  of  August.  Lossberg's  brigade,  consisting  of 
the  regiment  of  body  guards,  the  regiments  Prince  Charles 
Von  Ditfurth  and  Von  Trumbach,  together  with  the  14th 
English  regiment ;  the  convalescents  were  left  behind  on 
the  former  island.^  The  troops  following  after  forthwith 
marched  on  the  central  road  to  Flatbush,  whilst  Corn- 
wallis, who  had  hitherto  been  stationed  here,  now  took 
his  position  on  the  right  wing  of  the  army.  The  allies  at 
present  occupied  the  field  from  the  Narrows  to  Utrecht 
and  Gravesend.  The  Americans,  who  stood  in  the  en- 
trenchments near  Brooklyn  and  on  the  heights  already 
mentioned,  lying  in  front,  had  stationed  on  the  latter 
a  greater  part  of  their  active  forces.    The  right  flank 


^  We  find  here  the  brigades  differently  composed  from  wliat  they  were 
when  they  left  Hessia.  On  the  25th  General  Von  Stirn  received  the  brigade 
Mirbach  regiments  Hereditary  Prince  (Erbprinz),  Von  Donop,  and  Von 
Mirbach.  Heister  crossed  over  to  Long  Island  with  the  two  brigades,  Von 
Stirn  and  Von  Mirbach. 


DOCUMENTS. 


431 


of  the  lines  from  Brooklyn  extended  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Hudson.  In  front  of  said  estuary  a  small  bay  called 
Gowanus  Bay  stretched  far  inland  through  marshy  ground, 
so  that  there  was  but  a  small  space  left  between  the  bay 
and  the  heights.  The  left  flank  abutted  on  the  Walla- 
bout  Bay. 

On  the  26th  the  troops  had  a  day  of  rest.  Heister  how- 
ever detached  Colonel  Yon  Heringen  of  the  regiment  Yon 
Lossberg  with  306  men  and  a  few  pieces  of  ordnance  to 
the  left  flank  as  an  advanced  post.  When  he  had  here 
relieved  the  Highlanders  (71st  regiment),  he  was  attacked 
by  riflemen  and  lost  some  of  his  men,  but  he  drove  them 
back  with  his  cannon  pretty  soon. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  about  nine  o'clock, 
Clinton  with  his  corps  had  set  out  in  perfect  secrecy  and 
kept  marching  slowly  to  the  right,  on  the  road  to  Bedford, 
in  order  to  possess  himself  of  the  important  pass  there, 
which  he  had  reason  ^o  believe  was  occupied  by  the 
enemy.  The  next  day,  very  early  in  the  morning,  he 
advanced  precipitately  and  learned  to  his  great  surprise, 
when  he  was  still  IJ  miles  distant  from  it,  of  some  recon- 
noitering  patrol  sent  in  advance,  (according  to  others,  of 
an  American  patrol  taken  prisoner,)  that  the  important 
defile  was  not  occupied  at  all.  Clinton  immediately 
pushed  forward  a  battalion  of  light  infantry  to  seize  the 
same  while  he  made  a  stand  awaiting  the  break  of  day. 
Behind  him  was  the  British  chief  strength,  under  Lord 
Percy,  consisting  of  the  2d,  3d,  and  5th  brigades,  the  49th 
regiment  and  16  pieces  of  ordnance,  among  the  rest  the 
three  twelve  pounders.  With  these  troops  was  also  the 
General-in-chief  Howe.  With  the  first  dawning  of  the 
morning  all  his  troops  resumed  their  march,  in  order  to 
complete  the  turning  of  the  left  wing.  In  the  morning  of 
the  27th,  at  8  o'clock,  Clinton's  van-guard  had  reached 
Bedford,  so  he  now  stood  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  left 


432 


DOCUMENTS. 


flank.  Some  troops  of  militia-men  who  had  occupied  the 
heights  there,  had  retreated  in  the  greatest  haste  lest  they 
might  be  cut  off.  They  were,  however,  pursued  and  dis- 
persed, while  the  pursuers  grew  so  heated,  that  in  spite  of 
a  fierce  firing  of  cannons  and  muskets  they  were  going 
to  storm  the  American  entrenchments  immediately,  and 
would  only  be  detained  from  it  by  the  greatest  exertion. 
The  withdrawn  troops  were  gathered  again  in  a  defile 
which  ran  along  a  certain  distance  in  front  of  the  Ameri- 
can camp. 

While  these  events  took  place  on  the  right  wing,  Gene- 
ral Von  Heister,  who  with  his  Hessians  formed  the  centre, 
had  advanced  with  break  of  day  on  the  road  to  Flatbush, 
where  he  got  into  an  engagement  with  the  enemy  by 
opening  a  cannonade,  to  which  the  latter  answered  with 
animation.  Heister's  task  was  to  enter  only  into  a  sham 
engagement,  and  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  Americans 
so  long  on  himself,  that  the  turning  of  their  left  wing 
should  be  completely  accomplished.  The  tents  had  been 
left  standing,  but  the  baggage  was  sent  back.  The  Ame- 
ricans were  posted  here  on  the  heights  of  Guiana,  which 
were  very  advantageously  located,  covered  with  dense 
forests,  and  well  intrenched.  Donop,  who  had  maintained 
his  ground,  requested  to  be  allowed  to  make  the  first 
attack  with  his  sharpshooters  and  grenadiers,  which  was 
accorded  to  him.  As  soon  as  General  Von  Heister  heard 
the  report  of  cannon  on  his  right,  and  knew  from  the 
direction,  that  the  effort  to  turn  the  enemy's  wing  had 
succeeded,  he  also  briskly  proceeded  to  make  a  fierce 
charge.  The  grenadiers  stood  in  their  divisions  before 
the  lines,  and  in  front  of  them  as  fiankers  the  company  of 
sharpshooters  under  Captain  Wreden.  The  brigade  Von 
Mirbach  had  chiefly  to  cover  the  left  flank.  The  regi- 
ments advanced  bravely  and  in  the  best  order  up  the 
heights,  with  drums  and  fifes  and  flying  colors,  carrying 


DOCUMENTS. 


433 


the  cannon  along  with  them  through  the  wilderness  with 
great  exertion.  When  the  troops,  exposed  to  a  fierce  can- 
nonading of  the  enemy,  which  however  hurt  them  but 
little,  had  arrived  on  the  heights,  they  were  formed  in  line, 
the  same  as  on  the  drilling  ground.  The  Americans  were 
vigorously  driven  back  by  the  flankers  sent  in  advance ; 
many  of  them  were  killed  or  made  prisoners,  while  the 
regiments  followed  the  former  in  a  solid  body  with  their 
arms  shouldered.  Colonel  Von  Heeringen  writes  to  Colo- 
nel Yon  Lossberg  :  "  The  enemy  was  covered  by  almost 
impenetrable  brushwood,  lines,  abatis,  and  redoubts.  The 
greater  part  of  the  riflemen  were  pierced  with  the  bayonet 
to  the  trees.  These  dreadful  people  ought  rather  to  be 
pitied  than  feared ;  they  always  require  a  quarter  of  an 
hour's  time  to  load  a  rifle,  and  in  the  meantime  they  feel 
the  effects  of  our  balls  and  bayonets."  ^ 

The  sharpshooters  of  the  left  wing,  stimulated  by  their 
eager  desire  for  the  combat,  advanced  with  such  vehe- 
mence that  their  captain  was  not  able  to  keep  them  back; 
they  pushed  on  even  into  the  fortified  works  of  the  Ame- 
rican camp,  and  saw  the  latter  lying  to  the  left,  and  a 
redoubt  on  the  right.  Taken  unawares  by  the  sudden 
appearance  of  the  Hessians,  the  Americans  flocked  together 
in  troops  of  fifty  and  sixty  men,  but  the  former  left  them 
no  time  to  fall  in,  they  were  partly  killed,  dispersed  and 
made  prisoners.  This  took  place  in  sight  of  the  garrison 
in  the  enemy's  lines. 

In  the  beginning  the  Hessians  had  the  American  Colo- 
nel Hand  against  them,  who  was  here  posted  with  his 
riflemen,  but  when  he  was  pressed  harder  and  harder, 
General  Sullivan  himself  hastened  to  his  assistance;  he 

^  Prussian  Military  Weekly,  1833,  Nos.  863,  864,  p.  4854.    This  account 
is  given  by  Colonel  V.  Heeringen,  but  not  of  tlie  regiment  Von  Schenck,  as 
here  said  by  mistake,  but  of  the  regiment  Von  Lossberg,  to  the  commander 
of  which,  who  had  remained  behind  on  Staten  Island,  he  relates  it. 
55 


434 


DOCUMENTS. 


too  had  to  give  way  and  issued  the  order  to  retreat,  but 
too  late,  for  when  Heister  had  driven  him  into  the  plain, 
the  British  dragoons  came  already  in  swarms  from  the 
right  wing,  followed  by  Clinton's  light  infantry.  The 
Americans  cut  off,  and  between  two  fires,  were  soon  thrown 
into  sad  confusion,  and  a  great  carnage  ensued,  as  they 
fought  on  both  sides  with  the  greatest  animosity.  The 
Americans  knew  no  better  than  that  the  Hessians  gave  no 
quarter.  Every  one  of  the  former,  therefore,  endeavored 
to  sell  his  life  as  dear  as  possible,  or  to  save  it  by  flight, 
while  the  Hessians  grew  more  and  more  exasperated  by 
this  supposed  obstinate  and  useless  resistance.  On  one 
side,  therefore,  fierce  combat,  and  on  the  other  a  wild  and 
orderless  fiight.  Part  of  them  sought  their  safety  in  the 
woods,  but  many  others  got  into  the  swamps,  and  perished 
there  most  miserably,  or  were  made  prisoners:  only  a 
small  number  of  them  succeeded  in  cutting  their  way 
through,  and  arriving-  at  the  lines.  The  Hessians  had 
fired  off  their  muskets  but  once  when  they  charged  on 
their  opponents  with  their  bayonets.  The  Mirbach  bri- 
gade which  was  posted  more  to  the  left,  now  likewise 
joined  in  the  battle.  The  regiment  Rail,  that  stood  in  the 
centre,  had  to  march  with  the  order  "to  the  right  about" 
through  a  narrow  passage.  As  there  was  an  open  view, 
they  saw  a  troop  of  Americans,  about  fifty  men,  hastening 
toward  them,  with  flying  colors.  Rail  commanded  to  give 
fire.  The  Americans  who  had  lost  their  way  or  w^ho  had 
been  cut  off  from  their  countrymen,  surrendered  and 
begged  for  quarter,  whereupon  they  laid  down  their  arms. 
An  under  oflScer  leaping  forward  took  away  the  colors. 
He  was  just  going  to  present  them  to  Colonel  Rail,  when 
General  Yon  Mirbach  arrived,  and  was  about  snatching 
the  colors  from  the  under  ofiicer's  hand,  when  Rail  said  in 
a  tone  of  vexation,  "  By  no  means,  General,  my  grenadiers 
have  taken  these  colors,  they  shall  keep  them,  and  I  shall 


DOCUMENTS. 


435 


not  permit  any  one  to  take  them  away,"  A  short  alterca- 
tion now  took  place  between  them,  and  they  separated  in 
angry  mood,  but  the  colors  remained  for  the  present  with 
Rail's  regiment.  The  occurrence  was  noticed  at  headquar- 
ters. Soon  after  Colonel  Rail  was  appointed  inspecting 
commander  of  the  brigade. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  incidents  occurring 
on  the  left  wing,  although  they  are  not  of  so  much  con- 
sideration as  were  those  on  the  right  and  in  the  centre. 
The  British  General  Grant  had  received  the  instruction 
that  he  was  not  to  enter  into  any  serious  engagement,  but 
merely  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  American  right  wing 
in  every  possible  way.  For  this  purpose  they  added  to  his 
division  the  4th  and  6th  English  Brigades,  the  42d  regi- 
ment, two  companies  of  the  JSTew  York  provincials,  and 
ten  pieces  of  ordnance.  At  midnight  he  attacked  the 
enemy's  advanced  guards,  and  continued  his  efforts  next 
morning,  but  when  he  heard  to  his  right  the  increased 
thunder  of  artillery,  he  too  proceeded  to  a  serious  charge. 
The  American  General  Lord  Stirling,  who  commanded 
here,  soon  got  between  two  tires,  for  Cornwallis  with  the 
reserve  was  approaching  his  left  at  the  moment  Stirling 
was  just  going  to  retreat  to  the  Gowanus  Bay  by  crossing 
a  brook,  but  it  was  now  too  late.  Once  more  he  made 
a  most  desperate  resistance,  but  he  was  soon  forced  to 
surrender  as  his  troops  were  surrounded  on  every  side. 
Bearing  a  burning  hatred  to  the  Britons  he  would  not 
give  himself  up  prisoner  to  them,  he  went  therefore  in 
quest  of  General  Yon  lleister  and  gave  up  his  sword  to 
him.  In  order  to  divide  the  attention  of  the  Americans 
still  more,  Howe  had  requested  Admiral  Parker  to  approach 
with  six  ships  of  the  line,  the  American  batteries,  erected 
along  the  shore  and  fire  upon  them ;  but  the  wind  being 
adverse  and  the  tide  ebbing,  only  one  ship  succeeded  in 
getting  within  gun-shot  reach.    Howe  himself,  in  his  ofii- 


436 


DOCUMENTS. 


cial  return,  sets  down  the  loss  of  the  Americans  in  killed, 
wounded  and  prisoners  at  about  3,500  men.  Among  the 
last  were  three  generals,  Stirling,  Sullivan,  and  Udell ,^ 
three  colonels,  four  lieutenant-colonels,  three  majors,  eigh- 
teen captains,  forty-three  lieutenants,  one  aid-de-camp, 
eleven  ensigns,  and  1011  privates,  provincial  troops  and 
militia,^  15  cannons,  and  one  howitzer ;  some  banners, 
ammunition,  wagons,  and  intrenching  tools,  and  many 
other  accoutrements  were  made  booty  of.  The  Hessians 
alone  took  one  ensign  and  five  pieces  of  ordnance,  and 
made  five  hundred  and  twenty  prisoners ;  among  the  rest. 
General  Sullivan  and  thirty-five  officers.  The  general  was 
found  hidden  in  a  field  of  Indian  corn,  about  a  hundred 
steps  distant  from  Col.  Yon  Heeringen's  post,  by  3  fusiliers 
of  Yon  Kuyphausen's  regiment.  Heeringen  continues  the 
subject  by  saying,  "  John  Sullivan  is  a  lawyer,  but  before 
has  been  a  footman  ;  he  is  however  a  man  of  genius,  whom 
the  rebels  will  very  much  regret.  Among  the  prisoners 
are  many  who  call  themselves  colonels,  lieutenant-colonels 
and  majors ;  likewise  other  officers  who  are  nothing  more 
than  artizans,  tailors,  coblers,  wigmakers,  barbers,  etc. 
Some  received  a  good  thrashing  by  our  men  who  do  not 
recognize  such  people  as  officers.  Sullivan  was  brought 
to  me ;  I  had  him  searched  and  the  original  orders  of 
General  Washington  were  found  upon  him ;  from  which 
it  appears  he  had  the  best  of  his  troops  placed  under  his 
command,  that  everything  depended  upon  their  maintain- 


^  In  all  historical  works  he  passes  under  the  above  name,  but  is  called  by 
Marshall  in  his  work  {Life  of  George  Washington,  vol.  ii,  chapter  7), 
WoodhuU.  He  adds  in  a  note,  "  Lord  Howe  mentioned  this  last  officer  by 
mistake  under  the  name  of  de  Udell." 

^  Donop's  aid-de-camp  specifies  the  prisoners  in  the  following  manner : 
three  generals,  seven  officers  of  the  staff,  fifty-six  sub-officers,  six- surgeons, 
one  thousand  and  six  privates.  He  sets  down  the  number  of  cannon  taken 
at  fourteen,  of  which  the  Hessians  took  seven.  In  the  fortifications  ten  iron 
cannons  were  found,  and  five  were  captured  in  the  field. 


DOCUMENTS. 


437 


ing  their  ground  in  the  forest,  and  that  his  forces  amounted 
to  8000  men.  The  English  have  150  killed  and  wounded  ; 
they  owe  this  rather  to  their  irregular  attacking  than  to 
the  enemy's  bravery.  The  forest  was  a  scene  of  horror; 
there  were  certainly  2000  killed  and  wounded  lying  about. 
Colonel  Johnson  of  the  rebels  is  dead.  A  grenadier  made 
him  prisoner  and  generously  spared  his  life ;  he  told  him 
he  should  only  go  to  his  battalion  that  was  following,  for 
the  grenadier  was  a  flanker.  The  colonel  however  endea- 
vored maliciously  to  murder  him  from  behind,  drew  secretly 
a  pistol  but  hit  only  his  arm,  for  which  the  latter  requited 
him  by  thrusting  his  bayonet  three  times  into  his  body. 
Among  the  officers  taken  prisoners  I  did  not  meet  with 
one  who  had  been  in  foreign  service.  They  are  all  rebels 
and  resident  citizens  of  the  country.  Our  taylor  general 
would  play  here  a  conspicuous  part.  My  Lord  Stirling 
himself  is  only  an  '  Echappe  defamille,'  and  in  England  they 
will  not  allow  him  the  title.^  He  is  as  much  like  my  Lord 
Granby  as  one  egg  is  like  another.  General  Putnam  is  a 
butcher  by  trade,  I  portray  him  in  my  mind  like  butcher 
Fisher  in  Rinteler.  The  rebels  desert  frequently  and  it  is 
nothing  new  to  see  colonels,  lieutenant-colonels  and  majors 
arrive  with  whole  troops  of  men.  The  captured  colours 
of  red  damask,  with  the  motto  '  Liberty,'  now  took  their 
stand  with  sixty  men  in  front,  at  the  head  of  regiment 
Rail ;  they  had  all  shouldered  their  arms  upside  down. 


^  Tlie  letter  of  a  Hessian  officer  says,  with  respect  to  the  three  American 
generals  taken  prisoners.  "  Sullivan  was  a  lawyer,  and  promoted  in  eight 
months  to  the  rank  of  major-general,  this  was  achieved  by  a  brother  of  his 
being  a  leading  member  of  Congress.  He  is  a  native  of  Ireland.  Stirling 
is  the  son  of  a  fisherman.  His  father  was  a  Scotchman  and  grew  so  rich 
that  he  sought  to  bear  the  title  of  Lord  Alexander  Stirling.  In  England  to 
be  sure  this  title  was  never  accorded  to  him,  but  in  America  they  honored 
the  son  with  it  in  deference  to  his  riches,  and  for  the  same  reason  he  was 
raised  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier-General  although  he  had  never  served  in 
his  life.    Udell  is  a  foreigner  whose  real  descent  is  unknown." 


438  DOCUMENTS. 

carried  their  hats  under  their  arms,  fell  upou  their  knees, 
and  entreated  us  most  earnestly  to  spare  their  lives.  No 
regiment  is  properly  dressed  or  armed ;  every  one  has  a 
common  musket  like  those  which  citizens  use  in  Hessia, 
when  they  march  out  of  town  on  Whitsuntide,  with  the 
exception  of  regiment  Stirling,  that  was  dressed  in  blue  and 
red,  and  consisted  of  three  battalions,  for  the  most  part, 
Germans  enlisted  in  Pennsylvania.  They  were  tall  fine 
fellows,  and  had  most  beautiful  English  muskets  with 
bayonets.  This  regiment  met  with  an  English  troop,  but 
being  hidden  by  bushes  the  latter  mistook  them  for  Hes- 
sians and  did  not  fire ;  this  mistake  they  paid  with  the  loss 
of  Colonel  Grant,  some  other  officers  and  80  privates.  It 
was  a  general  discharge.  The  English  restored  order  in 
their  ranks,  attacked  them  with  the  bayonet,  threw  down 
everything  in  their  w^ay,  and  those  they  did  not  kill  they 
took  prisoners ;  in  a  word  the  whole  regiment  is  cut  up. 
The  artillery  of  the  rebels  is  wretched,  mostly  composed 
of  iron,  ill  served,  and  is  mounted  on  ship  carriages." 

The  loss  of  the  Hessians  consisted  in  two  men  killed,  a 
grenadier  and  a  sharpshooter;  three  officers.  Von  Donop 
captain  of  the  sharpshooters.  Major  Pauly  of  th^  artillery; 
and  one  lieutenant,  together  with  twenty- three  privates, 
mostly  sharpshooters  and  grenadiers,  wounded.  The 
English  lost  in  killed,  five  officers,  fifty-six  subaltern  offi- 
cers and  soldiers;  and  there  were  twelve  officers,  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-five  subaltern  officers  and  privates  wounded. 
The  Americans  taken  prisoners,  officers  as  well  as  soldiers, 
were  put  on  board  the  ships.  Among  the  other  extraordi- 
nary things  that  showed  themselves  in  this  first  battle  in 
the  new  world,  was  the  fact  that  almost  all  the  German 
staff  officers  were  without  horses,  as  they  did  not  take 
them  along  with  them  when  leaving  the  old  country,  and 
they  could  not  hunt  out  any  until  now.  Donop's  aid  de 
camp,  says  on  this  subject  in  his  diary,  "Most  of  the  higher 


DOCUMENTS. 


439 


and  subaltern  officers  went  on  foot,  bearing  their  cloaks 
rolled  up  on  the  shoulder,  with  a  large  gourd  bottle  filled 
with  water  and  rum,  hanging  down  their  side.  This  was 
also  my  fate,  although  I  was  adjutant,  and  whenever  my 
brigadier  Colonel  Donop  wanted  me  to  carry  an  order 
speedily,  he  dismounted  and  gave  me  his  old  but  solid  stal- 
lion, which  he  had  taj^en  with  him  from  Hessia." 

Another  singularity  was  that  many  officers,  on  this 
march  or  in  battle,  had  their  rifles  hanging  about  them ; 
Donop,  too,  carried  one  in  default  of  which  he  would  pro- 
bably have  been  lost.  During  the  skirmishing  on  the 
25th,  a  rifleman  being  at  a  short  distance  aimed  at  him, 
but  he  (Donop)  got  the  start  of  him  and  shot  him  through 
the  head.  The  officers  who  went  in  advance  with  the 
flankers  carried  for  the  most  part  rifles  with  bayonets. 
The  private  soldiers  also  had  to  be  indulged  in  many 
things  which  formerly  were  strictly  interdicted.  Being  in 
their  first  fights  they  were  permitted  to  wear  their  sabres 
across  the  chest  in  order  to  be  able  to  during  the  great 
heat  of  the  day  to  unbutton  their  jerkins,  which  were 
made  of  thick  cloth.  The  strength  of  the  troops  on  this 
side  who  took  part  in  the  action  may  have  been  about 
15,000  men;  as  many  more  had  remained  on  Staten  Island 
and  in  the  vessels.  From  the  American  side  the  strength 
of  the  allies  is  alleged  to  have  been  25,000  men,  which  is 
evidently  exaggerated,  while  they  quote  the  number  of 
their  troops,  that  took  a  share  in  the  battle,  at  5,000  men, 
which  on  the  other  hand  is  too  little.^  They  had  stationed 
at  least  8,000  men  on  the  fore  part  of  the  heights,  as  ap- 
peared also  from  the  documents  found  on  Sullivan's  person, 
and  about  5,000  men  were  in  the  lines  near  Brooklyn. ^ 


^  Washington  Irving's  Life  of  George  WasMngton,  vol.  ii,  chap.  73. 

^  Wiebke,  in  Ms  work  The  First  Years  of  the  North  American  War  for 
Liberty,  p.  182,  assumes  that  9,000  Americans  liad  been  employed  to  occupy 
the  heights,  and  5,000  to  cover  the  lines. 


440  DOCUMENTS. 

Washington,  as  mentioned  above,  had  at  first  given  to 
General  Greene  the  supreme  command  over  these  troops, 
but  as  the  latter  was  suddenly  taken  ill,  Sullivan  received 
the  command.  He  had  but  just  joined  the  army  with  his 
corps,  and  was  little  acquainted  with  the  dispositions 
already  made;  that  was  the  reason  why  that  important 
pass  near  Bedford  had  not  been  occupied,  and  why  in  the 
occupation  of  that  part  of  the  heights  some  deficiences  were 
discovered.  For  the  first  time  the  European  tactics  could 
here  be  compared  with  the  American.  In  proportion  to 
its  strength  the  American  line  was  too  much  extended, 
and  it  'lacked  also  timely  support,  while  on  the  other 
hand,  they  had  thrown  out  in  front  of  it  numerous  swarms 
of  skirmishers,  whose  well  aimed  fire  was  very  galling, 
but  that  lasted  not  long.  The  Hessians  and  Britons,  in 
their  accustomed  way,  deployed  their  forces  in  greater 
masses,  and  soon  drove  the  thin  battle  lines  back  with  the 
bayonet  without  losing  their  time  with  firing. 

When  the  left  wing  of  the  insurgents  had  been  thrown 
back  from  the  heights,  it  got  into  the  marshy  ground. 
Being  the  most  distant  from  the  line  it  could  only  retreat 
in  a  slanting  direction,  on  the  small  strip  of  land  between 
the  Gowanus  Bay  and  the  heights;  but  part  of  the  troops 
on  the  right  wing,  under  Clinton,  forestalled  the  Americans, 
and  here  they  got  into  the  most  desperate  position.  In 
this  battle  the  first  Hessian  blood  was  shed  on  American 
ground.  Here  they  discovered  that  they  had  to  deal  with 
a  peculiar  opponent,  and  that  sooner  or  later  they  would 
have  to  conform  to  a  manner  of  fighting  deviating  in 
many  respects  from  that  which  had  hitherto  been  cus- 
tomary in  Europe.  The  well-drilled  and  war-proof  Ger- 
man soldier  here  found  himself  in  circumstances  for  the 
most  part  new  and  strange.  We  cannot  help  making 
here  a  few  more  reflections  on  this  first  main  battle  of  the 
allied  troops  and  the  Americans  as  enemies,  regarding  the 


DOCUMENTS. 


441 


clamour  which  the  latter  j-aised  against  the  desperate 
fighting  manner  of  the  Hessians,  as  showed  on  this  occa- 
sion. The  fear  of  them  increased  to  terror ;  people  spoke 
with  horror  of  their  bloody  deeds,  and  were  above  all  out- 
raged that  the  Germans  in  some  instances  had  not  given 
quarter,  and  had  even  without  grace  and  mercy  stabbed  to 
the  ground  unarmed  men,  and  such  as  begged  them  to 
spare  their  lives.  It  was  reported  that  more  than  two 
thousand  men  had  in  this  manner  fallen  victims  to  a  blind 
passion  of  revenge.  That  the  Hessians  were  very  much 
exasperated  and  furious  is  not  to  be  denied,  but  that  was 
owing  chiefly  to  the  circumstance  that  some  troops  of  the 
enemy  who  had  surrendered,  and  had  begged  for  quarter, 
fired  once  more  on  the  Hessians  when  they  approached 
them  unsuspectingly.  This  was  contrary  to  all  rules  of  war. 
The  course  pursued  by  the  Hessians  was  urged  upon  them 
by  the  Britons.^  Colonel  Von  Heeringen  says  on  this  sub- 
ject in  his  letter  to  Colonel  Yon  Lossburg,  mentioned  before : 
"  The  English  soldiers  did  not  give  much  quarter  and  con- 
stantly urged  our  men  to  follow  their  example."  We  have 
learned  further  from  said  letter  how  maliciously  Col. 
Johnson  dealt  -with  the  Hessian  grenadier,  and  of  the 
Pennsylvania  regiment  firing  another  volley  after  it  was 
already  cut  off.  All  this  was  sufficient  to  heighten  the  pas- 
sions of  troops  inured  to  war  but  not  accustomed  to  such 
practices.  From  another  incident  already  mentioned  we 
notice  that  the  Hessians  did  not  pounce  upon  all  in  a 
blood-thirsty  mood,  for  when  Rail's  regiment  fell  in  with 
a  troop  of  enemies  and  took  them  prisoners  it  was  done 
without  committing  any  act  of  violence.  The  slight  with 
which  they  treated  the  Americans  before,  on  account  of 
their  little  eflectiveness  in  battle,  was  still  increased  after 


^History  of  the  War  in  and  out  of  Europe,  part  i,  p.  110. 
56 


442  DOCUMENTS. 

the  first  collision.  Many  of  them  did  not  accept  the 
quarter  given  them  by  the  Hessians.  "  They  were  "  says 
Lieutenant  Eutfer  in  his  diary,  "  so  much  afraid,  that  they 
suffered  themselves  rather  to  be  shot  than  to  accept  quarter, 
because  their  generals  and  other  officers  had  made  them 
believe  that  if  they  did  they  would  be  hung. 

The  victors  made  the  vanquished  feel  their  humiliation, 
by  putting  the  American  prisoners  to  the  cannons,  and 
compelling  them  to  draw  the  same  on  the  bad  roads  up 
to  the  ships.  However,  this  seems  to  have  been  done  not 
so  much  to  heap  indignities  upon  them,  as  from  necessity, 
for  there  was  a  want  of  horses,  and  the  troops  on  this  side, 
already  extremely  fatigued,  would  otherwise  have  been 
obliged  to  do  it  themselves.  Howe  treated  the  generals 
made  prisoners  with  great  courtesy:  Stirling  as  well  as 
Sullivan  dined  with  him  every  day. 

After  a  dreary  night  the  Americans  expected  an  imme- 
diate assault  on  their  lines  which  they  did  not  think  they 
could  possibly  maintain,  after  their  confidence  had  been 
extinguished  by  the  defeat  they  had  undergone.  Howe 
actually  began,  with  the  dawn  of  the  28th  of  August,  a 
cannonade  on  the  enemy's  works,  while  at  the  same  time 
he  gave  directions  to  fortity  his  camp;  he  was  however 
prevented  from  carrying  out  the  latter  plan  by  a  heavy 
shower  of  rain,  and  in  the  course  of  the  day,  only  some 
skirmishing  on  the  outposts  took  place.  'Not  before  even- 
ing, when  the  rain  had  somewhat  abated,  were  the  pioneer 
works  resumed,  and  continued  on  the  day  following.  Howe 
had  neglected  to  order  men-of-war  into  the  East  River  at 
the  right  time,  by  which  means  he  would  have  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  the  Americans  to  ISTew  York.  When  at  last,  on 
the  morning  of  the  29th,  while  a  dense  fog  was  covering 
land  and  sea,  he  made  preparations  for  it,  his  opponents 
became  aware  of  his  intention,  and  deferred  no  longer 
slipping  out  of  that  dangerous  trap.    In  a  council  of  war 


DOCUMENTS. 


443 


convoked  by  Washington,  the  retreat  was  fixed  on  the  fol- 
lowing night,  and  so  successfully  executed  that  the  troops 
on  this  side  did  not  at  all  become  aware  of  it.^  The 
following  morning,  the  30th,  the  latter  perceived  to  their 
no  small  surprise  that  the  lines  had  been  abandoned,  and 
the  Hessian  regiments  Yon  Donop  and  Yon  Lossberg 
occupied  them  immediately  without  waiting  for  further 
orders.  Col.  Yon  Heeringen,  who  had  seized  a  height 
near  the  Hudson  in  the  night  of  the  29th,  was  the  first  who 
became  aware  of  it  and  notified  it  directly  to  Howe  through 
Lieutenant  ZoU.  On  receiving  this  intelligence  Howe 
himself  with  the  admiral  went  to  see  the  Colonel,  to  con- 
vince himself  of  the  correctness  of  the  information,  and  in 
his  presence  advise  with  his  brother  as  to  what  was  now  to 
be  done.  Both  agreed  to  occupy  immediately  the  other 
side  of  York  Island  with  men-of-war.  The  heights  seized 
by  the  Colonel  were  so  close  to  E"ew  York  that  you  could 
see  people  walking  in  the  streets  and  even  distinguish  the 
color  of  their  clothes.  They  found  still  remaining  in  the 
works  eleven  pieces  of  ordnance,  much  ammunition  and  a 
good  deal  of  provisions.  The  Hessians  alone  drove  away 
above  100  horses  and  near  300  cows. 

Holland,  Major  of  the  English  engineers,  praises  the 
Americans  for  having  made  their  works  good  and  lasting 
according  to  all  the  rules  of  strategy,  and  says  that  they 
might  have  been  longer  maintained  if  they  had  been  pro- 
perly garrisoned;  however,  nothing  had  been  properly 
finished.  According  to  the  statement  of  an  officer,  the 
Hessians  found  yet  another  order  in  the  American  camp 
which  said :  "  Since  with  such  enemies  as  the  Hessians 
every  resistance  offered  is  useless,  they  were  to  make  good 
their  retreat  as  well  as  they  could." 


^  Wasliington  himself  managed  the  retreat ;  he  was  the  last  who  left  the 
island. 


444 


DOCUMENTS. 


At  the  English  head-quarters  they  were  so  irritated  on 
account  of  the  escape,  that  they  now  regretted  to  have 
interfered  with  the  vehemence  of  the  troops  when  they 
were  going  to  rush  upon  the  lines  on  the  27th.^  Heister 
with  his  two  Hessian  brigades  had  in  the  mean  time  occu- 
pied the  heights  near  Brooklyn  abandoned  by  the  enemy, 
while  Donop  with  his  grenadiers  and  sharp-shooters  had 
joined  the  right  wing  of  the  army  at  Bushwick.  A  British 
brigade  remained  at  Bedford.  General  Howe  had  trans- 
ferred his  head-quarters  to  Newtown  which  received  a  gar- 
rison, as  also  did  Bushwick,  Hellgate,  and  Flushing.  In 
the  same  way  the  two  islands  Montresor  and  Buchanan 
received  again  their  garrison,  and  near  Horens  Hook  some 
batteries  were  erected,  which  could  sweep  the  passage  at 
Hellgate.  His  chief  object  was  to  seize  New  York  as  soon 
as  possible,  since  it  promised  not  only  excellent  winter 
quarters,  but  might  serve  also  as  the  best  point  of  support 
for  further  operations.  The  Americans  making  the  same 
reflections  were  resolved  to  do  their  utmost  to  prevent  so 
important  a  place  from  falling  into  their  enemy's  hands, 
and  began  at  once  to  strengthen  their  fortifications.  But 
not  all  were  of  the  same  opinion;  part  of  them  even  moved 
to  set  fire  to  the  fine  town,  and  to  retire.  Discord  rose  at 
last  to  such  a  height  that  serious  scuffles  ensued  between 
the  different  parties,  whereupon  those  of  New  England 
and  Pennsylvania  left  scornfully  the  town. 

As  the  troops  stationed  opposite  could  perfectly  survey 
the  banks  on  the  other  side,  they  now  and  then  perceived 
also  Washington  when  with  numerous  attendants  he  in- 
spected the  line  of  sentries.    One  day  just  when  he  ap- 


^  According  to  reliable  information  General  Von  Heister  had  ascertained 
from  the  troops  that  followed  the  retreating  Americans  up  to  their  lines, 
that  the  left  part  of  the  enemy's  camp  fortifications  was  still  a  few  hundred 
paces  open.  When  after  the  battle  the  flanking  corps  again  gained  the 
centre,  Heister  communicated  the  discovery  to  General  Howe  and  proposed 


[ 

DOCUMENTS.  445 

peared  opposite  one  of  the  batteries,  Captain  Krug  of 
the  Hessian  artillery  ordered  some  shots  to  be  fired  at 
the  troop  on  horse-back.  At  the  third  discharge  Wash- 
ington and  his  attendants  made  off*.  In  the  night  of  the 
first  of  September,  some  armed  boats  approached  the 
outposts  on  Staten  Island,  and  a  discharge  of  musketry 
ensued  and  the  Americans  retired  soon  after.  The  same 
manoeuvre  was  repeated,  in  the  night  following.  We  per- 
ceived also  from  here  that  the  enemy  had  strengthened 
himself  by  reinforcements.  According  to  the  statement 
of  some  of  the  inhabitants  the  enemy  had  actually  con- 
templated a  serious  attack  upon  the  camp.  They  were 
therefore  very  much  on  their  guard  on  this  side  and  every 
quarter  of  an  hour  the  sentries  had  orders  to  call  out  to 
one  another  "All's  well." 

As  General  Howe  had  not  succeeded  in  cutting  off"  the 
enemy  on  Long  Island,  or  rather  had  been  neglectful  in  it, 
he  was  going  to  try  it  now  on  'New  York  Island.  While 
his  ships  were  lying  in  front  he  made  his  troops  throw  up 
redoubts,  and  erect  batteries  behind  the  town.  During  the 
few  days  a  more  or  less  fierce  cannonade  had  taken  place. 
Howe  had  made  all  the  preparations  for  a  descent  in 
secrecy..  In  the  evening  of  the  13th  September,  five  of  the 
largest  English  men-of-war,  of  from  20  to  44  guns,  sailed 
into  the  East  River  where  they  forced  their  way  through 
the  midst  of  the  enemy's  vessels,  sunk  in  that  strait  and 
passed  onward  in  spite  of  the  awful  firing  from  the  bat- 
teries and  forts.  Thus  they  arrived  at  Bushwick  opposite 
the  place  fixed  on  for  the  descent  of  the  troops  that  were 
on  board  the  ships.  The  flat-bottomed  vessels  and  row- 
galleys,  under  command  of  Hotham,  likewise  reached 

to  Mm  to  avail  themselves  of  the  confusion  of  the  enemy,  and  the  eager 
desire  of  the  troops  for  the  combat,  and  storm  the  camp  on  the  weak  point, 
but  Howe  had  all  kinds  of  scruples  and  thus  neglected  the  favorable  oppor- 
tunity of  following  up  liis  victory  on  the  spot. 


446 


DOCUMENTS. 


their  place  of  destination  in  the  darkness  of  night,  and 
unnoticed  by  the  enemy.  Besides  these,  six  more  trans- 
port ships  bearing  likewise  troops  chosen  for  the  descent, 
followed  amidst  the  most  galling  fire.  In  order  to 
divide  the  attention  of  the  adversary,  three  frigates  and  a 
schooner  were  sent  up  the  Hudson  as  far  as  Bloomingdale, 
in  the  morning  of  the  15th,  which  were  likewise  very 
much  exposed  to  the  heavy  fire  from  the  batteries  erected 
on  both  sides  of  the  river.  Protected  by  the  ships  the 
troops  of  the  first  division,  consisting  of  the  English  light 
infantry,  the  Highlanders,  the  reserve  and  the  Hessian 
grenadiers,  and  sharpshooters,  commanded  by  Colonel 
Donop,  and  who,  with  the  troops  under  Cornwallis  formed 
the  van,^  were  embarked  on  the  i^'ewtown  Creek  in  flat 
bottomed  boats.  Tents  and  baggage  were  left  behind. 
It  was  a  grand  and  splendid  sight,  when,  accompanied  by 
the  raging  thunder  of  the  guns  of  five  men-of-war  and  the 
British  and  American  land  batteries,  the  army  was  carried 
over  in  long  and  gaily  colored  rows  of  boats  filled  with 
troops  moving  in  as  good  order,  as  when  manceuvering  on 
the  land.  Eye-witnesses  can  scarcely  find  words  to  give  a 
sufficiently  impressive  description  of  this  spectacle.  Sir 
Henry  Clinton  was  the  chief  commander  of  these  troops, 
with  the  Generals  Cornwallis,  Yaughan  and  Leslie  as 
assistants.  After  the  enemy  had  been  swept  off'  of  the 
banks  of  the  river  on  the  other  side,  by  the  fire  of  the  ships, 
and  had  even  been  forced  to  quit  the  lines  he  had  held 
there,  the  troops  were  disembarked  at  noon  in  the  Kipsbay, 
about  3  miles  above  'New  York. 

[  Die  Deutschen  Hulfstruppen  in  Nordamerikanisclien  BefreiungsJcriege, 
1776  bis  1783.    Von  Max  von  Eelking,  vol.  i,  fol.  28,  seq.] 


^  The  troops  headed  by  Cornwallis  consisted  of  the  English  light  infantry , 
the  33d  British  and  the  42d  Scotch  regiment;  these  in  conjunction  with 
Donop's  brigade  formed  henceforth  almost  always  the  van. 


DOCUMENTS. 


447 


[  m.  41.  ] 

Narrative  of  the  Battle  of  Long  Island  by  a  British  Historian  : 

The  impression  produced  and  artfully  instilled  into  the 
minds  of  the  Americans  was,  that  the  Howes  were  afraid 
of  fighting  the  captor  of  Boston.  At  the  same  time  the 
Gazettes  were  filled  with  abuse  of  the  English  army  and 
flattering  appeals  to  the  American  heroes.  Washington 
himself  in  one  of  the  orders  of  the  day,  told  his  troops 
that  the  time  was  now  near  at  hand  which  must  determine 
whether  they  were  to  be  freemen  or  slaves  —  whether 
they  were  to  have  any  property  or  none  —  whether  their 
houses  and  farms  were  to  be  pillaged  and  destroyed,  and 
themselves  consigned  to  a  hopeless  state  of  wretchedness. 
"  Our  cruel  and  unrelenting  enemy,"  continues  the  order, 

leaves  us  only  the  choice  of  a  brave  resistance  or  the 
most  abject  submission.  We  have,  therefore,  to  resolve  to 
conquer  or  die."  Having  at  last  been  joined  by  Clinton 
and  by  nearly  all  the  forces  he  expected,  General  Howe, 
on  the  morning  of  the  22d  of  August,  put  his  army  in 
motion  on  Staten  Island,  and  first  threw  forward  a  division 
of  4000  men  under  the  command  of  Clinton,  who  landed 
in  Gravesend  Bay,  Long  Island,  without  opposition,  their 
disembarkation  being  well  covered  by  three  frigates  and 
two  bombs.  Washington  reinforced  General  Sullivan, 
who  was  holding  the  island.  Clinton's  division  was  soon 
followed  by  the  rest  of  our  army,  with  the  artillery ;  and, 
upon  their  landing,  Sullivan's  advanced  guard,  which  had 
been  hovering  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  landing  place, 
set  fire  to  all  the  houses  and  granaries,  and  fied  precipitately 
to  seek  cover  in  the  woody  heights  through  which  the 
English  must  pass.^    Washington,  making  a  most  errone- 


^  We  embarked  in  boats,  says  Harris,  and  landed  without  opposition  in 
Gravesend  Bay,  then  marched  six  miles  inland,  and  halted,  a  large  body  of 


448 


DOCUMENTS. 


ous  calculation  that  Long  Island  might  be  held,  threw  over 
more  and  more  reinforcements  from  New  York,  until  the 
mass  of  his  army  was  committed  on  that  spot.  He  gave 
orders  that  any  soldier  attempting  to  conceal  himself,  or 
run  from  the  field,  should  be  instantly  shot ;  and  he 
solemnly  promised  to  notice  and  reward  such  as  should 
distinguish  themselves.  By  his  direction  the  Americans,  to 
the  number  of  15,000,  were  posted  on  a  peninsula  towards 
that  end  of  the  island  which  faces  the  city  of  IsTew  York, 
and  is  not  more  than  a  mile  from  it :  their  lines  extended 
almost  right  across  the  peninsula,  from  Whaaleboght  Bay, 
an  elbow  of  the  East  river,  on  the  left,  to  a  deep  marsh  on 
a  creek  emptying  into  Gowan's  Cove  on  the  right :  their 
rear  was  covered  against  an  attack  from  the  English  ships 
by  some  batteries  on  Governor's  Island,  Red  Hook,  and 
Brooklyn-ferry ;  and  there  were  other  batteries  on  the 
East  River  to  keep  open  their  communication  with  the 
city  of  ITew  York  :  in  their  front  they  had  a  strong  line  of 
entrenchments  secured  by*abatis,  flanked  by  redoubts,  and 
lined  with  spears  or  lances,  their  centre,  at  Brooklyn,  being 
made  uncommonly  strong ;  and  in  advance  of  these  artifi- 
cial works  they  had,  at  the  distance  of  some  two  miles  and 
a  half,  the  natural  defences  of  a  range  of  hills — those  to 
which  their  advanced  guard  had  fallen  back  on  Clinton's 
landing  —  covered  with  thick  woods  extending  obliquely, 
nearly  all  across  the  island,  and  intervening  between  the 
American  lines  and  Lord  Howe's  army.  Their  object  was 
to  occupy  these  heights,  and  to  defend  against  the  English 
the  defiles  which  led  through  the  hills ;  and  General  Put- 


Americans,  near  us,  keeping  up  a  fire  from  behind  walls  and  trees.  About 
4  P.^.,  on  the  26tli  we  struck  tents,  and  lay  on  our  arms  during  the  night 
about  three  miles  from  Bedford  ;  and,  though  in  summer,  it  was  the  coldest 
night  I  experienced  up  to  the  25th  of  November.  Such  sudden  changes  of 
climate  are  not  uncommon  here. —  Journal,  in  LusMngton's  Life  of  General 
Lord  Harris. 


DOCUMENTS. 


449 


nam,  whom  Washington  had  sent,  with  six  fresh  regiments, 
to  take  the  command  over  Sullivan,  took  post  on  these 
wooded  hills,  so  as  to  stop  all  the  passes.  Putnam  took 
post  on  the  left,  with  his  centre  nearly  opposite  to  a  place 
on  the  high  road  called  Flat  Bush,  and  Lord  Stirling  posted 
himself  on  the  right  near  that  part  of  the  sea-shore  called 
the  E'arrows.  Washington  himself  had  superintended 
these  dispositions ;  but,  after  passing  the  day  of  the  26th 
at  Brooklyn  in  the  lines,  he  had  returned  at  night  to  I^ew 
York.  General  Putnam  retired  to  Brooklyn,  leaving 
Sullivan  on  the  hills  in  command  of  the  left.  That  evening 
the  Hessians  under  General  De  Heister  took  possession  of 
the  village  of  Flat  Bush,  right  opposite  to  Sullivan,  whose 
patrols  they  engaged  and  whose  attention  they  distracted. 
Ill  the  meantime  Sir  Henry  Clinton  and  Sir  William  Ers- 
kine,  having  reconnoitered  Sullivan's  position  and  the 
whole  range  of  hills,  saw  it  would  not  be  difficult  to  turn 
his  left  flank  by  crossing  the  hills,  where  they  were  low 
and  unguarded,  in  the  direction  of  the  town  or  village  of 
Bedford.  Upon  receiving  their  report  Howe  resolved  to 
make  a  combined  movement  in  three  separate  columns 
and  in  the  middle  of  the  night ;  and  he  sent  Clinton  with 
one  column,  supported  by  the  brigades  under  Lord  Percy, 
in  the  direction  of  Bedford,  and  another  column,  under 
General  Grant,  to  turn  Lord  Stirling's  position,  by  passing 
between  him  and  the  sea ;  and  he  ordered  the  Hessians  to 
be  ready  so  as  to  attack  Sullivan,  right  in  front,  by  a  given 
moment.  General  Howe  marched  in  person  with  the  first 
of  these  columns,  which  quitted  its  camp  at  ten  o'clock  at 
night  on  the  26th  of  August.  The  movement  was  emi- 
nently successful,  and  the  troops  got  close  to  the  hills 
before  they  were  discovered.  At  the  same  time  General 
Grant,  who  had  a  much  shorter  distance  to  march,  went 
on  very  leisurely,  and  at  the  moment  appointed  opened  a 
heavy  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery  upon  Lord  Stirling's 
57 


450 


DOCUMENTS. 


position.  This  loud  roar  on  their  right  made  both  Sullivan 
and  Stirling  believe  that  the  main  body  of  the  English 
army  were  attempting  to  pass  in  that  direction; — therefore 
Sullivan  hurried  reinforcements  along  the  wooded  ridge 
to  sustain  Stirling  who  remained  on  his  hill  intent  only  on 
defending  that  pass.  Grant  kept  him  in  play  till  daylight, 
by  which  time  Clinton's  division,  after  some  slight  skir- 
mishing with  patrols,  gained  the  pass  on  the  other  side  of 
the  line  ;  and  G-eneral  De  Heister,  moving  from  Flat  Bush 
with  his  Hessians,  had  begun  a  cannonade  on  Putnam's 
centre,  which  was  covering  the  defile  in  which  ran  the 
direct  road  to  Brooklyn,  i^early  at  the  same  time  Lord 
Howe  put  part  of  his  fleet  in  motion,  and  began  a  heavy 
cannonade  on  Governor's  Island  and  Eed  Hook,  in  the 
rear  of  Brooklyn.  About  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning 
the  right  of  our  army  got  to  Bedford,  between  the  fortified 
lines  and  the  ridge  of  hills,  and  a  loud  fire  from  Clinton's 
guns  announced  to  the  Americans  on  the  ridge,  that  the 
British  were  in  their  rear.  At  the  ominous  sound  they 
instantly  retired  from  the  woods  by  regiments,  hoping  to 
regain  their  fortified  lines  and  camp  at  Brooklyn ;  but 
they  presently  encountered  the  front  of  Clinton's  column, 
and  were  driven  back  again  to  the  hills.^  Then  the  Hes- 
sians cannonaded  them  from  the  other  side,  took  three  of 
their  guns,  and  drove  them  back  again  upon  Clinton's 
column,  which  was  now  deploying  so  as  to  block  up  every 
road  and  foot-path.    The  Americans  again  ran  back  to 


^  Captain  Harris,  who  was  engaged,  says :  —  "At  day-break,  the  27th,  the 
light  infantry  attacked  and  forced  small  posts  which  the  Americans  had  on 
the  road  leading  to  their  lines  at  Bedford.  This  appeared  to  be  the  first 
notice  they  had  of  our  being  near  to  them.  About  nine  we  fired  two  signal 
guns  to  a  part  of  the  army  under  General  Grant,  who  was  to  make  a  feint 
In  the  front  of  the  Americans,  while  we  got  round  to  the  rear,  and  immedi- 
ately marched  briskly  up  to  them,  when,  almost  without  firing  a  shot,  they 
abandoned  their  post,  and  retreated  to  their  lines  under  cover  of  their 
guns."  —LusMngton's  Life  of  Gen.  Lord  Harris. 


DOCUMENTS. 


451 


the  heights,  but,  broken  and  panic-stricken,  they  could  do 
no  good  anywhere ;  they  were  knocked  down  in  heaps  by 
De  Heister's  corps  —  some  laid  down  their  arms  —  some, 
running  along  the  ridge  between  the  Hessians  and  Clin- 
ton's column,  escaped  by  the  road  near  the  sea-side,  some 
hid  themselves  in  the  woods ;  but  a  great  proportion  of 
their  left  wing  and  centre  were  either  killed  or  taken  pri- 
soners. Their  right,  under  Lord  Stirling,  was  equally 
panic-stricken  on  hearing  Clinton's  firing  in  the  rear :  they, 
however,  maintained  the  contest  v\ath  General  Grant  until 
they  received  news  of  the  total  rout  of  the  rest  of  their 
army.  They  then  abandoned  their  position,  and  ran  for 
their  lives  across  a  morass  to  Mill  Creek.  It  is  stated  that, 
if  General  Grant  had  moved  rapidly  to  the  edge  of  that 
morass,  and  had  secured  the  head  of  a  mill-dam  over 
which  they  escaped,  the  greater  part  of  this  division  must 
have  been  either  drowned  or  taken  prisoners.  But  most 
of  them  crossed  the  creek,  and  thence  continued  their  run 
to  Brooklyn.  In  their  haste,  however,  they  left  their  com- 
mander behind  them,  for  Lord  Stirling  was  taken  prisoner 
by  Grant's  division.^  Between  the  British  right,  under 
Clinton,  and  the  Hessians,  a  great  many  of  the  American 
officers  were  taken,  including  General  Sullivan  and  Gene- 
ral Udell  or  Woodhull.   The  total  amount  of  prisoners  was 


^  This  William,  Earl  of  Stirling,  as  he  called  himself,  was  the  son  of  a 
Mr.  James  Alexander,  who  had  gone  out  to  America  in  1714,  with  the  ap- 
pointment from  George  I,  of  surveyor-general  for  the  province  of  New 
Jersey.  The  son,  who  succeeded  to  the  same  office,  and  also  to  large  estates 
in  New  Jersey  and  New  York,  came  over  to  England  in  1757,  after  his 
father's  death,  when  he  was  a  young  man  of  about  one  and  twenty,  and  in 
1759  got  himself  served  nearest  lawful  heir  male  to  Henry,  fifth  Earl  of  Stir- 
ling, who  had  died  without  issue  in  1739.  On  this  he  assumed  the  title,  but, 
his  petition  to  the  king  having  been  referred  to  the  House  of  Lords,  their 
lordships,  in  1762,  came  to  a  resolution  that  he  had  not  made  out  his  claim. 
He  still,  nevertheless,  continued  to  call  himself  a  lord,  on  his  own  authority, 
and  was  recognized  as  such  by  the  American  revolutionists,  whose  cause 
he  joined,  and  in  whose  army,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  war,  he  received 
a  commission  as  major-general. 


452 


DOCUMENTS. 


1,097,  and  from  1,200  to  1,500  Americans  were  killed  or 
wounded.  The  loss  of  the  British  was  comparatively 
trifling,  not  exceeding  400  men  and  officers  in  killed, 
wounded  and  taken.  In  the  heat  of  the  action  Wash- 
ington crossed  over  from  New  York  to  the  camp  at 
Brooklyn,  whence  he  witnessed  the  confusion  and  head- 
long flight  of  his  troops,  whom,  in  our  opinion,  he  had  most 
unwisely  exposed  to  an  unequal  contest.  He  also  wit- 
nessed, from  that  ill-omened  camp,  the  ardor  of  the  British 
troops,  who  followed  the  American  fugitives  almost  to  the 
foot  of  their  works,  and  who  were  with  difficulty  prevented 
from  making  an  assault  on  their  lines  —  an  assault  which 
ought  to  have  been  made  before  the  fugitives  recovered 
from  their  fatigue  and  panic.  But  General  Howe  was  of 
a  different  opinion,  saying,  that,  though  he  might  carry 
the  lines  by  assault,  yet,  as  it  was  apparent  that  the  lines 
must  become  his,  at  a  very  cheap  rate,  by  regular  ap- 
proaches, he  would  not  throw  away  the  lives  of  his  men  ; 
and  he  ordered  them  back  to  a  hollow  way,  out  of  the 
reach  of  the  enemy's  fire.^  The  British  army  encamped 
that  night  in  front  of  the.  American  lines ;  and  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  the  28th  of  August,  they  began  to  break 
ground  about  six  hundred  yards  from  one  of  the  redoubts. 
They  seemed  to  have  been  so  absorbed  by  this  tedious  and 
laborious  occupation,  to  have  had  their  eyes  so  bent  and 
fljied  upon  the  earth  and  their  pickaxes,  spades,  and  mat- 
tocks—  as  to  have  been  blind  to  everything  else  t^at  was 
passing ;  and  they  kept  digging  their  trenches  on  one  side, 
while  Washington  was  smuggling  his  forces  out  on  the 

^  Stedman. —  Harris  says  in  Ms  journal, —  "  Our  men  were  most  eager  to 
attack  them  in  their  lines,  and  I  am  convinced  would  have  carried  them  ; 
but  we  were  ordered  to  retreat  out  of  the  reach  of  their  guns,  and  lay  from 
about  4  p.  M.  till  very  near  dark  at  the  entrance  of  a  small  wood,  exposed 
to  the  fire  of  their  riflemen.  During  the  whole  evening  they  hit  but  one 
man,  though  their  balls  continually  whistled  over  our  heads  and  lodged  in 
the  trees  above  us." 


DOCUMENTS. 


453 


other,  and  ferrying  them  over  East  River  to  the  city  of 
^ew  York.  It  is  said,  however,  that  a  marvellously  thick 
fog  concealed  and  favored  the  American  general's  critical 
operation.  On  the  night  of  the  29th,  having  collected  a 
number  of  boats,  and  removed  his  military  stores,  with 
part  of  his  provisions  and  the  lighter  part  of  his  artillery, 
he  began  to  embark  his  men.  When  the  party  first  em- 
barked were  landed  on  the  New  York  side,  the  boats 
returned  for  another ;  and  this  ferrying  occupied  several 
hours,  during  which  Washington,  who  kept  his  own  person 
on  the  l^"ew  York  side  of  the  water,  expected  every  mo- 
ment that  General  Howe  would  burst  through  his  lines  at 
Brooklyn,  and  take  his  men  in  the  rear,  and  that  Lord 
Howe  would  send  some  of  his  ships  up  the  East  River  to 
destroy  their  fragile  boats  and  every  hope  of  escape  from 
Long  Island.  But  the  high-feeding  English  general  slept 
on ;  and  his  brother,  the  admiral,  though  not  so  apt  to 
doze,  did  not  move  a  single  ship  or  boat,  and  was,  to  all 
appearance,  unconscious  of  what  was  going  on.  Fort  Sul- 
livan may  have  taught  the  necessity  of  caution  in  attacking 
such  works ;  but  it  was  not  necessary  to  attempt  taking 
the  forts  or  batteries  on  Governor's  Island  and  Paulus 
Hook,  or  any  of  the  works  in  front  of  N"ew  York :  all  that 
was  needed  was  to  pass  them,  which  might  have  been 
done  with  the  greatest  ease,  as  was  soon  shown  by  two 
English  frigates  that  despised  their  fire,  ascended  the 
Hudson,  and  cut  off  the  communication,  by  water,  between 
Washington's  army  at  New  York  and  the  remnant  of  the 
army  of  Canada  on  Lake  Champlain.  Nothing  but  a  mira- 
cle of  negligence,  slowness,  and  stupidity  could  possibly 
have  saved  the  forces  —  the  half  of  his  army  —  which 
Washington  had  exposed  on  Long  Island,  and,  in  point  of 
generalship,  nothing  except  the  English  letting  them  go 
when  they  ivere  there,  was  so  miserable  as  Washington's 
sending  the  Americans  to  that  island.    But  even  after  his 


454 


DOCUMENTS. 


lucky  escape,  Washington  found  himself  in  a  very  critical 
situation ;  for  he  not  only  had  a  superior,  and,  to  a  degee, 
a  victorious  force,  in  front,  with  a  commanding  fleet,  but 
all  the  country  round  about  him  was  hostile  to  his  cause. 
On  the  first  appearance  of  Lord  Howe,  the  people  of 
Staten  Island  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  British 
crown,  and  joyfully  offered  to  serve  as  volunteers;  the 
people  of  Long  Island  were  equally  loyal ;  on  both  sides 
the  Hudson, — in  New  Jersey,  as  in  New  York  —  the  anti- 
revolutionists  began  to  declare  themselves  in  vast  numbers ; 
the  whole  continent,  indeed,  between  New  England  and 
the  Potomac  abounded  with  royalists  or  with  very  luke- 
warm republicans,  and  the  city  of  New  York,  taken  as  a 
whole,  was  decidedly  hostile  to  Congress.  Washington 
felt  that,  under  all  these  circumstances,  there  was  no  posi- 
bility  of  defending  the  important  city  for  which  he  had 
risked  so  much  —  even  to  putting  his  whole  army  in 
jeopardy. 

[KnigJifs  Pictorial  History  of  England  during  the  Reign  of  George  the 
Tliird,  vol.  i,  p.  271.] 


[No.42.  ]r 

Account  of  the  Landing  of  the  British,  and  the  succeeding  Engage- 
ments, by  C.  Siedman,  an  officer  serving  under  Gen.  Howe. 

The  troops  under  general  Clinton,  from  the  southward 
having  joined  the  grand  army,  the  campaign  opened  on 
the  twenty-second  of  August.  A  division  of  four  thousand 
men,  under  the  command  of  general  Clinton,  landed  with- 
out opposition  in  Gravesend  Bay,  Long  Island,  to  the 
right  of  the  Narrows,  their  disembarkation  being  covered 
by  three  frigates  and  two  bomb  ketches:  This  division 
having  landed  without  resistance,  the  rest  of  the  army  and 


DOCUMENTS. 


455 


artillery  were  also  landed.  The  advanced  party  of  the 
enemy  fled  at  the  approach  of  the  army,  setting  fire,  on 
their  retreat,  to  all  the  houses  and  granaries,  and  seeking 
refuge  in  the  woody  heights  that  commanded  the  way 
which  the  English  were  under  the  necessity  of  passing. 
The  English  possessed  an  extent,  reaching  from  the  ISTar- 
rows  through  Gravesend  and  Utrecht.  The  Americans, 
^to  the  number  of  fifteen  thousand,  were  posted  on  a  penin- 
sula, between  Mill  Creek,  a  little  above  Red  Hook,  and  an 
elbow  of  the  river,  called  Wallabach  Bay.  They  had  con- 
structed strong  fortifications  opposite  to  !N"ew  York,  from 
which  they  were  separated  by  the  East  River,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  a  mile.  A  line  of  intrenchments  from  the  Mill 
Creek  enclosed  a  large  space  of  ground,  on  which  stood  the 
American  camp.  This  line  was  not  only  secured  by  abatis 
but  flanked  by  strong  redoubts,  and  lined  with  spears  or 
lances  provided  against  assault.  From  this  post  ten  thou- 
sand men,  under  the  command  of  general  Putnam,  were 
detached.  Their  object  was  to  occupy  the  heights  which 
obliquely  intersected  the  Island,  and  to  defend  against  the 
progress  of  the  English,  the  defiles  which  led  through 
those  hills. 

Opposite  the  centre  of  Putnam's  line  stood,  in  the  plain, 
the  village  of  Flat  Bush.  To  this  town  the  Hessians, 
under  general  DeHeister,  were  advanced,  occupying  en- 
tirely the  attention  of  the  Americans,  and  frequently  skir- 
mishing with  their  patrols.  In  the  meantime  sir  Henry 
Clinton  and  sir  William  Erskine,  having  reconnoitered  the 
position  of  the  enemy,  saw  that  it  would  not  be  a  difficult 
*  matter  to  turn  their  left  flank,  which  would  either  oblige 
them  to  risk  an  engagement,  or  to  retire  under  manifest 
disadvantage.  This  intelligence  being  communicated  to 
sir  William  Howe,  he  consented  to  make  •  the  attempt. 
Accordingly  the  right  wing  of  the  English  army  moved, 
consisting  of  a  strong  advanced  corps,  commanded  by 


456 


DOCUMENTS. 


general  Clinton,  supported  by  the  brigades  under  lord 
Percy.  The  commander-in-chief  himself  marched  with 
this  corps,  which  quitted  its  camp  at  nine  o'clock  at  night 
on  the  twenty-sixth  of  August,  crossing  the  country,  by 
Flat  Lands,  in  order  to  secure  a  pass  over  the  heights  of 
Guiana,  on  the  road  to  Bedford.  This  pass  the  enemy 
had  neglected  to  secure  by  detachments,  on  account  of  its 
great  distance.  In  order  to  watch  it,  however,  they  sent 
out  occasional  patrols  of  cavalry :  But  one  of  these  being 
intercepted  by  a  British  advanced  guard,  the  pass  was 
gained  without  any  alarm  being  communicated  to  the 
Americans.  At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  British 
passed  the  heights  and  reached  Bedford.  An  attack  was 
immediately  begun  on  the  enemy's  left ;  they  made  but  a 
feeble  resistance,  and  retired  from  the  woody  grounds  to 
their  lines,  into  which  they  threw  themselves  in  evident 
confusion.  It  is  to  be  lamented  that  this  advantage  was 
not  pursued ;  for  in  the  confusion  into  which  the  enemy 
were  thrown  by  the  rapid  march  of  the  English  army,  a 
most  decisive  victory  would  have  undoubtedly  accrued  to 
the  British  arms.  The  works  of  the  enemy  could  not  have 
resisted  an  attack,  when  it  is  considered  that  it  might  have 
been  made  by  that  part  of  the  army  under  Sir  William 
Howe,  which  had  not  been  engaged,  and  which  therefore 
possessed  a  manifest  superiority  over  troops  fatigued  by 
contest,  exhausted  by  hard  labor,  and  disheartened  by  par- 
tial defeat. 

As  soon  as  the  firing  on  the  enemy's  left  was  heard, 
general  DeHeister,  with  a  column  of  Hessians  from  Flat 
Bush,  attacked  the  centre  of  the  Americans.  After  a  warm  ♦ 
engagement  the  enemy  was  routed  and  driven  into  the 
woods,  with  the  loss  of  three  pieces  of  cannon.  The  left 
column,  led  by  General  Grant,  advancing  from  the  ^Tarrows 
by  the  edge  of  the  bay,  in  order  to  divert  the  attention  of 
the  enemy  from  the  principal  attack  on  the  right,  about 


4 


DOCUMENTS. 


457 


midnight  fell  in  with  their  advanced  guard,  stationed  at  a 
strong  pass,  which,  however,  they  immediately  abandoned, 
and  retired  to  a  very  advantageous  post,  where  they  kept 
their  ground.  On  the  advancement  of  the  English,  a 
furious  cannonade  commenced  on  both  sides,  which  was 
continued  with  unceasing  perseverance  till  the  enemy 
heard  the  firing  at  Bedford.  The  Americans  in  this  quar- 
ter did  not  attempt  to  retire  until  they  received  news  of 
the  total  rout  of  the  rest  of  their  army.  Apprehensive, 
then  of  being  unable  to  regain  their  lines,  they  made  a 
sudden  movement  to  secure  a  retreat,  by  crossing  a  morass 
to  Mill  Creek,  which  covered  the  right  of  their  works. 
But  this  movement  was  made  in  much  disorder  and  con- 
fusion; General  Grant,  however,  did  not  take  adequate 
advantage  of  it,  for  had  he  moved  rapidly  to  the  edge  of 
the  morass,  through  which,  and  over  a  mill  dam,  the  princi- 
pal part  of  them  escaped,  the  greatest  number  of  the 
detachment,  as  well  as  those  who  fied  from  Flat  Bush, 
must  have  either  been  drowned  or  taken  prisoners. 

Thus  ended  the -operations  of  the  day  :  Victory  was  cer- 
tainly on  the  side  of  the  English  ;  but  it  was  not  so  decis- 
ive as  it  might  have  been,  owing  to  the  restrictions  imposed 
by  the  commander-in-chief.  The  loss  of  the  Americans 
was  great.  Two  thousand  were  either  killed  on  the  field, 
drowned,  or  taken  prisoners  :  And  among  the  latter.  Gene- 
rals Sullivan,  Udell  and  Lord  Stirling.  The  Maryland 
regiment  suftered  most  severely,  having  lost  upwards  of 
two  hundred  and  sixty  men ;  which  was  much  regretted, 
as  that  regiment  was  composed  of  young  men  of  the  best 
families  in  the  country.  The  royal  army  took  six  pieces 
of  brass  ordnance.  The  loss  on  the  part  of  the  English 
did  not  exceed  three  hundred  in  killed  and  wounded  and 
of  which  number  between  sixty  and  seventy  were  killed ; 
among  the  killed  was  lieutenant-colonel  Grant  of  the 
fortieth  regiment;  among  the  wounded,  lieutenant-colonel 
58 


458 


DOCUMENTS. 


Monckton.  The  British  troops,  on  this  occasion  displayed 
great  activity  and  valour.  So  impetuous  was  their  cou- 
rage, that  it  was  not  without  difficulty  that  they  could  be 
restrained  from  attacking  the  American  lines ;  and  had 
they  been  permitted  to  go  on,  in  the  judgment  of  most  men 
including  Sir  William  Howe  himself,  they  would  have 
carried  them.  But,"  says  the  general, "  as  it  was  apparent 
that  the  lines  must  become  ours  at  a  very  cheap  rate  by 
regular  approaches,  I  would  not  risk  the  loss  that  might 
have  been  sustained  in  the  assault,  and  ordered  them  back 
to  a  hollow  way  out  of  the  reach  of  the  musquetry." 

On  the  evening  of  the  twenty-seventh,  our  army  en- 
camped in  front  of  the  enemy's  lines ;  and  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  broke  ground  about  six  hundred  yards  from  one  of 
the  redoubts  on  the  left.  The  Americans  finding  that  it 
was  impossible  to  maintain  their  post  on  Long  Island, 
evacuated  their  lines  on  the  twenty-ninth,  and  made  good 
their  retreat  to  IN'ew  York.  At  first  the  wind  and  tide 
were  both  unfavorable  to  the  Americans;  nor  was  it 
thought  possible  that  they  could  have  effected  their  retreat 
on  the  evening  of  the  twenty-ninth,  until  about  eleven 
o'clock,  the  wind  shifting,  and  the  sea  becoming  more 
calm,  the  boats  were  enabled  to  pass.  Another  remark- 
able circumstance  was,  that  on  Long  Island  hung  a  thick 
fog,  which  prevented  the  British  troops  from  discovering 
the  operations  of  the  enem}^;  while  on  the  side  of  l^ew 
York  the  atmosphere  was  perfectly  clear.  The  retreat 
was  effected  in  thirteen  hours,  though  nine  thousand  men 
had  to  pass  over  the  river,  besides  field  artillery,  ammuni- 
tion, provisions,  cattle,  horses,  and  carts. 

The  circumstances  of  this  retreat  were  particularly  glori- 
ous to  the  Americans.  They  had  been  driven  to  the 
corner  of  an  island,  where  they  were  hernmed  in  within 
the  narrow  space  of  two  square  miles.  In  their  front  was 
an  encampment  of  near  twenty  thousand  men ;  in  their 


DOCUMENTS. 


459 


rear,  an  arm  of  the  sea,  a  mile  wide,  which  they  could  not 
cross  but  in  several  embarkations.  I^otwithstanding  these 
difficulties,  they  secured  a  retreat  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 
The  pickets  of  the  English  army  arrived  only  in  time  to 
fire  upon  their  rear-guard  already  too  far  removed  from  the 
shore  to  receive  any  damage.  Sir  William  Howe  had 
early  intelligence  sent  him  of  the  retreat  of  the  Americans ; 
but  a  considerable  time  had  elapsed  before  a  pursuit  was 
ordered.  Sir  William  Howe,  at  length,  however,  desired 
Lord  Percy  to  order  a  pursuit ;  but  it  was  too  late.  The 
enemy  had  effected  their  retreat,  which  was  rendered  less 
hazardous  from  the  want  of  frigates  in  the  East  River 
between  Long  Island  and  'New  York.  Had  any  armed 
ships  been  stationed  there,  it  would  have  been  impossible 
for  them  to  have  made  their  escape.  The  East  River  is 
deep  enough  for  a  seventy-four  gun  ship  to  ride  at  anchor. 
Washington  thought  himself  happy  in  getting  safe  with  his 
papers  from  Long  Island,  having  crossed  to  New  York  in  a 
small  boat.  Had  two  or  even  one  frigate  moored  as  high  up 
as  Red  Hook,  as  the  Phoenix  and  Rose  men  of  war  had  done 
before,  the  one  carrying  forty-four  guns,  and  the  other  twenty- 
eight,  the  retreat  of  the  Americans  would  have  been  cut 
off  most  completely ;  and  indeed  so  decided  were  the  Ameri- 
cans themselves  in  this  opinion,  that,  had  only  a  singTe  frigate 
been  stationed  in  the  East  River,  they  must  have  surrendered 
at  discretion.  It  is  to  be  observed,  that  in  the  very  same 
boats  in  which  the  Americans  crossed  from  New  York  to 
Long  Island,  they  recrossed  after  their  defeat  from  Long 
Island  to  New  York,  the  boats  having  lain  for  three  days 
on  the  Long  Island  shore  in  readiness  to  carry  them  off. 
Now  it  is  evident  that  this  small  craft,  by  the  above  pre- 
caution, might  have  been  effectually  destroyed. 

In  reviewing  the  actions  of  men,  the  historian  is  often' 
at  a  loss  to  conjecture  the  secret  causes  that  gave  them 
birth.    It  cannot  be  denied  but  that  the  American  army 


460 


DOCUMENTS. 


lay  almost  entirely  at  the  will  of  the  English.  That  they 
were  therefore  suflered  to  retire  in  safety,  has  by  some 
been  attributed  to  the  reluctance  of  the  commander-in-chief 
to  shed  the  blood  of  a  people  so  nearly  allied  to  that  source 
from  whence  he  derived  all  his  authority  and  power.  "We 
are  rather  inclined  to  adopt  this  idea,  and  to  suppose  mo- 
tives of  mistaken  policy,  than  to  leave  ground  for  an  imagi- 
nation that  the  escape  of  the  Americans  resulted  from  any 
want  of  exertion  on  the  part  of  Sir  William  Howe,  or- 
deficiency  in  the  military  science.  He  might  possibly  have 
conceived  that  the  late  victory  would  produce  a  revolution 
in  sentiment  capable  of  terminating  the  war  without  the 
extremity  which  it  appeared  to  be,  beyond  all  possibility  of 
doubt,  in  his  power  to  enforce. 

[Stedman's  History  of  the  American  War,  vol.  i,  p.  193.] 


[  No.  43.  ] 

Extracts  from  Minutes  of  Testimony  of  British  Officers  com- 
manding in  the  battle  of  21th  August,  before  a  Committee  of 
Parliament. 

Earl  Cornwallis  Examined  by  Sir  William  Howe. 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  obtain  from  the  inhabitants  a 
knowledge  of  the  face  of  the  country :  it  is  in  general  so 
covered  with  wood,  and  so  favourable  to  ambuscades,  that 
reconnoitering  can  afford  but  an  imperfect  knowledge  ;  I 
never  saw  a  stronger  or  more  defensive  country.  Our 
movements  were  much  embarrassed  and  retarded  in  the 
field  by  the  difficulty  in  getting  provisions,  and  from  the 
closeness  of  the  country.  I  did  not  see  the  enemy's  lines 
at  Brooklyn ;  I  was  on  the  left ;  I  never  heard  it  suggested 
that  they  could  have  been  carried  by  assault.    It  was  sup- 


DOCUMENTS. 


461 


posed  at  that  time  the  enemy's  main  strength  was  on  York 
island.  I  know  of  no  delay  in  landing  on  York  island ; 
the  preparations  partly  depended  on  the  naval  department ; 
nor  of  any  avoidable  delay  prior  to  the  moving  from  it. 

Examined  hy  other  Members,  I  never  heard  the  enemy  at 
Brooklyn  were  retiring.  There  was  no  getting  behind 
the  enemy,'s  lines  without  forcing  them.  I  do  not  know 
these  lines  were  complete ;  I  did  not  see  them  during  the 
action ;  I  was  detached  to  Newtown ;  on  my  return  they 
were  nearly  demolished  

Breadth  of  the  sound  between  Long  island  and  New 
York  about  1000  or  1200  yards.  I  know  no  place  where 
we  could  have  taken  post  so  as  to  discern  what  was  passing 

at  Brooklyn  I  do  not  know  how  near  the  grenadiers 

and  33d  pursued  the  enemy  to  their  lines  at  Brooklyn,  or 
that  it  required  repeated  orders  to  make  them  desist. 

Major  General  GtREY,  Examined  hy  Sir  William  Howe. 

The  Americans  in  general  so  very  much  against  us,  they 
deserted  the  country  wherever  we  came,  and  no  intelligence 
could  be  depended  upon.  The  part  I  saw  is  the  strongest 
country  I  ever  was  in;  everywhere  hilly,  covered  with 
wood,  intersected  by  ravines,  creeks  and  marshy  grounds. 
Little  or  no  knowledge  could  be  got  by  reconnoitering. 
Best  calculated  for  the  defensive ;  every  one  hundred  yards 
that  I  have  seen  might  be  disputed.  Could  seldom  march 
but  in  one  column,  consequently  very  slow. 

Mr.  Montresor,  formerly  a  Captain  of  Engineers^  hut  lately  re- 
signed.   Examined  by  Sir  William  and  Lord  Howe. 

It  would  not  have  been  prudent  to  have  assaulted  the 
lines  at  Brooklyn,  August  27th,  1776.  The  lines  were 
from  Wallabout  bay  to  a  swamp  that  intersects  the  land 
between  the  main  and  Redhook,  which  terminates  the 


462 


DOCUMENTS. 


lines;  one  mile  and  a  half  extent,  including  the  angles, 
cannon  proof,  five  redoubts,  or  rather  fortresses,  with 

ditches,  as  had  the  lines  that  formed  the  intervals  

We  should  have  lost  a  considerable  number  of  men  had 
we  attacked.the  lines  at  Brooklyn;  after  they  were  evacu- 
ated, I  was  the  first  person  in  the  works,  and  had  the 
greatest  difficulty  with  a  corporal  and  six  men  to  get 
through  the  abatties  where  there  was  no  one  to  oppose  me. 

Examined  hy  other  members.    I  don't  know  our  numbers 

the  27th  of  August,  1776;  the  enemy  8  or  10,000  men  

At  day  break,  4  o'clock,  I  gave  the  alarm  of  the  evacua- 
tion; 25  minutes  after  the  piquets  marched.  To  have 
carried  on  the  approaches  allowing  everything  prepared 
would  have  taken  3  days  small  parties  could  not  dis- 
cover the  enemy  going  off*;  only  a  desperate  party  would 
attempt  to  have  looked  into  a  work,  or  have  got  to  the 
crest  of  a  work,  and  they  could  not  discover  an  evacuation 

till  they  were  there,  it  would  have  been  improper  to 

have  suffered  them  (the  troops)  to  storm  the  redoubt,  the 
artillery  was  not  up,  no  fascines  to  fill  the  ditches,  no  axes 
for  cutting  the  abatties,  no  scaling  ladders,  or  proper 
apparatus  for  the  assault  of  so  respectable  a  work.  The 

rebel  works  judiciously  planned,  but  ill  executed  It 

would  have  taken  24  hours  to  have  brought  up  cannon  and 
apparatus  to  attack  Brooklyn  redoubt. 

Major  GtEN.  Robertson  Examined  by  Lord  George  Germain. 

I  have  served  about  24  years  in  America  believe 

that  the  few  artful  men  who  brought  about  the  declara- 
tion of  independence,  were  the  only  people  that  rejoiced 

at  it  I  understand  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  people 

would  prefer  the  King's  government  to  the  tyranny  of  the 

Congress  When  we  landed  first  on  Long  island  we 

found  all  the  farms  stocked,  and  most  of  the  people  living 


DOCUMENTS. 


463 


in  their  houses  Some  parties  plundered  Newtown  on 

Long  island.  I  had  them  tried ;  they  were  sentenced  and 
punished;  I  sent  to  the  town  and  desired  I  might  pay  the 
damage.  The  soldiers  were  acquainted  with  this,  and 
never  plundered  any  more. 

Examined  hy  other  Members,  My  employment  led  me  to 
be  informed  of  the  resources  of  the  country  in  different 
parts  of  it,  and  of  the  nature  of  those  resources  

Examined  hy  Sir  William  Howe.  Rebel  officers  informed 
me  that  in  all  at  I^ew  York  and  Long  Island  they  were 

16,000,  (in  summer  1776)  The  army  that  came  from 

Halifax  to  Staten  Island  might  be  6000  men,  rank  and  file. 
I  gave  Sir  William  Howe  my  reasons  against  landing  on 
Long  island  at  that  time;  because  the  rebels  were  in- 
trenched and  in  force  on  Long  Island ;  we  had  no  carriages ; 
the  soldiers  must  have  carried  everything  we  wanted ;  and 

every  day  an  army  from  Europe  was  expected  We 

found  a  great  number  of  cattle  on  Long  island ;  when 
they  were  taken  by  the  General's  orders,  I  dare  say  he 
directed  payment,  but  many  were  taken  he  could  know 
nothing  of.  The  inhabitants  might  be  frightened  out  of 
Utrecht  for  any  thing  I  know ;  but  I  found  numbers  in 

Gravesend  and  Flatbush  I  know  the  disposition  of  the 

inhabitants ;  I  found  them  in  the  places  I  went  to ;  if  any 
ran  away,  it  was  through  fear,  not -disaffection. 

Examined  by  several  Members.  I  commanded  at  ^ew 
York,  and  nobody  came  in  without  my  questioning  them ; 
I  took  every  opportunity,  the  subject  was  interesting.  I 
never  heard  the  rebels  deserted  in  corps ;  but  that  their 
militia  refused  to  be  drafted,  and  the  rebels  brought  troops 
and  forced  them.  A  great  number  of  persons,  on  the 
defeat  of  the  rebels  in  Long  island  declared  for  govern- 


464  DOCUMENTS. 

ment  Gen.  Lee  informed  me  that  half  the  rebel  continental 

army  were  from  Ireland  At  Brooklyn,  Aug.  27th,  1776, 

a  ridge  of  heights  separated  us  from  the  rebels ;  the  rebels 
had  possession  of  these  heights ;  it  would  have  been  diffi- 
cult to  have  forced  them ;  Gen.  Howe  by  a  night  march 
pushed  in  between  these  heights  and  the  rebel  lines ;  by 
this  movement  we  got  2000  prisoners ;  our  troops  were 
going  to  storm  the  lines,  when  Gren.  Howe  ordered  them 
back.  We  have  since  heard  these  lines  were  weakly 
manned,  and  had  only  300  men  in  them ;  Putnam  having 
detached  all  the  rest  of  his  7000  men  to  the  heights;  none 
of  us  knew  this  at  that  time;  I  do  not  think  storming  a 

proper  measure  At  7  in  the  morning,  I  was  informed 

the  rebels  had  evacuated  their  lines ;  I  dare  say  it  was 
known  earlier  at  head  quarters;  their  rear  guards  em- 
barked between  8  and  9 ;  I  was  ordered  to  march  about  8; 
distance  from  the  lines  to  the  ferry  a  mile  and  a  half. 
Question.  Had  our  troops  marched  at  6  o'clock,  might  not 
the  rebel  rear  been  cut  off?  Ans.  From  our  camp  to  the 
place  where  the  rebels  embarked  could  not  be  above  an 
hour's  march.  Q.  Could  any  of  the  rear  guard  have 
embarked  and  escaped  in  the  face  of  our  troops  ?  A.  The 
place  of  embarkation  was  disadvantageous  to  the  rebels ; 
it  is  commanded  by  heights.  If  the  intelligence  had  been 
known  at  4  o'clock,  [^Montresor  proves  that  it  icas  known 
at  4  o^clock,']  there  was  time  enough  to  come  up  with 
them.  Quest.  Do  you"  not  think  it  was  an  object  at  that 
time  to  have  destroyed  as  many  of  the  rebel  army  as  possi- 
ble ?   Ans.  At  all  times. 

Examined  by  Sir  William  Howe  When  I  was  marching 

towards  Brooklyn  ferry,  and  came  near  the  rebel  lines,  I 
received  orders  to  march  to  Hellgate,  and  oppose  Gen. 
Lee  who  was  said  to  be  landed  there.  Capt.  Balfour  told 
me  at  7  o'clock  the  rebels  had  quitted  their  lines ;  I  im- 


DOCUMENTS. 


465 


mediately  got  my  brigade  under  arms ;  sent  notice  I  was 
ready;  waited  for  orders  to  march,  and  received  them 
about  8  o'clock.  I  marched  within  120  or  130  yards  of 
the  enemy's  lines;  I  knew  the  ground  perfectly  well;  I 
could  not  judge  of  the  strength  of  the  lines;  I  imagine  the 
General  called  back  the  troops  for  the  same  reason.  I 
understood  the  grenadiers  under  Col.  Stuart  were  moving 
on  when  they  were  called  back;  and  that  Gen.  Vaughan 
sent  to  know  if  he  should  go  on  and  attack  the  lines,  and 
Gen.  Howe  ordered  him  to  retire. 

Questions  from  the  Committee,  A  great  many  cannon  shot 
flew  over  us,  they  were  ill  pointed;  some  men  were  killed 
and  wounded  by  small  arms.  Q.  Do  you  think  if  the 
rebel  iines  had  been  forced  at  that  time,  all  the  rebel  corps 
might  have  been  taken  or  destroyed?  A.  All  that  were  on 
Long  Island. 


Extract  from  a  Letter  from  New  York,  March  9th,  1777. 

*  *  *  *  Last  August  on  Long  Island  we 
rejected  an  opportunity  of  terminating  the  rebellion ;  the 
rebels  when  defeated  ran  into  their  lines  in  the  utmost  dis- 
order, our  grenadiers  were  following  them  with  great 
ardour,  when  the  general  after  much  difficulty,  called  them 
ofi:'.  Had  our  troops  been  allowed  to  go  on,  not  a  soul  of 
the  rebels  would  have  escaped.  A  lady,  whose  husband 
and  brother  were  rebel  officers,  has  given  us  the  following 
fact :  on  their  defeat  they  rushed  into  the  house,  and 
desired  her  to  fly  with  her  child,  as  they  expected  every 
moment  to  be  cut  in  pieces.  She  did  so ;  but  could  not 
get  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  ferry,  the  rebel  crowd 
was  so  great,  and  they  were  in  such  trepidation,  that  those 
in  the  rear  were  mounting  on  the  shoulders  and  clambering 
59 


466 


DOCUMENTS. 


over  the  heads  of  those  before  them.  What  a  glorious 
opportunity  did  Gen.  Howe  here  reject  of  finishing  the 
war  with  eclat.  We  threw  away  three  days  in  regular 
approaches,  during  all  which  time  the  rebels  were  ferrying 
themselves  over,  for  it  was  the  morning  of  the  30th  before 
their  rear  embarked. 

Lord  Howe  could  send  two  frigates  up  the  North  river, 
for  a  whim  of  his  own,  and  expose  them  to  the  fire  of  at 
least  100  pieces  of  cannon,  but  he  lay  almost  within  sight 
of  the  ferry,  and  let  the  rebel  army  cross  it,  tho'  it  was  a 
branch  of  the  sea  near  a  mile  wide,  for  three  days,  or  at 
least  two  days  and  a  half,  without  sending  any  of  his 
numerous  squadron  to  annoy  them.  I  asked  a  warm 
friend  of  the  admiral's,  why  his  lordship  did  not  bring  his 
heavy  ships  against  the  batteries  on  the  East  river,  and  cut 
ofi"  the  rebel  retreat,  as  well  as  risk  his  frigates  for  no  pur- 
pose up  the  North  river  ?  The  reply  was,  the  admiral  did 
not  choose  to  risk  his  Majesty's  ships;  thus  his  lordship 
will  not  risk  his  Majesty's  ships;  the  general  will  not  risk 
his  Majesty's  men ;  for  these  reasons  the  rebels  escaped, 
and  the  rebellion  continues. 

Every  day  presents  new  blunders,  we  have  lost  three 
regiments  of  Hessians  in  the  Jerseys  this  winter,  and 
nearly  an  equal  number  of  our  own  men  from  our  foraging 
parties ;  all  from  not  supporting  and  protecting  our  line  of 
cantonment  formed  last  year.  Our  commander  has  been 
enjoying  his  pleasures  while  everything  has  been  going  to 
wreck  in  the  Jerseys.  What  do  you  think  of  the  favour- 
ite sultana's  losing  300  guineas  in  a  night  at  cards,  who 
three  years  ago  would  have  found  it  difficult  to  have  mus- 
tered as  many  pence  ?  Don't  you  think  this  Boston  lady 
in  high  luck  ?  As  to  the  husband  his  various  places  are 
reckoned  at  6000?,  a  year;  it  is  said  he  does  not  save  a  shil- 
ling :  but  he  looks  fat  and  contented. 


DOCUMENTS. 


467 


Hemarkson  General  Howe's  own  Account  of  his  Froceedings  on 
Long  Island,  in  the  Extraordinary  Gazette  of  October  lOth, 
1779. 

*  *  *  Gen.  Howe  at  the  h^ad  of  between 
twenty  and  thirty  thousand  men,  and  attended  by  a  great 
fleet,  landed  on  Long  Island,  a  force  much  superior  in 
number,  and  much  more  in  discipline  to  that  which  opposed 
him.  By  a  just  disposition  the  outposts  were  all  forced  :  ten 
thousand  of  the  rebels,  as  the  general  himself  counts  them 
were  defeated ;  besides  the  killed,  wounded,  and  drowned, 
eleven  hundred  of  them  were  made  prisoners,  and  the  rest 
fled  with  the  utmost  precipitation  into  their  lines,  pursued 
by  the  victors  close  up  to  their  trenches.  Filled  with 
all  the  ardour  of  success,  the  troops  would  instantly  have 
entered  their  camp,  when  the  general  thought  he  had,  for 
that  day  at  least  done  the  rebel  army  damage  enough ; 
and  chose  to  give  them  time  to  recover  their  fright.  Let 
us  read  his  own  account  of  the  afiair.  "  The  grenadiers 
and  33d  regiment  being  in  front  of  the  column,  soon  ap- 
proached within  musket  shot  of  the  enemy's  lines  at  Brook- 
lyn ;  from  whence  these  battalions,  without  regard  to  the 
fire  of  cannon  and  small  arm's  upon  them,  pursued  num- 
bers of  the  rebels  that  were  retiring  from  the  heights,  so 
close  to  their  principal  redoubt,  and  with  such  eagerness 
to  attack  it  by  storm,  that  it  required  repeated  orders  to 
prevail  on  them  to  desist  from  the  attempt.  Had  they  been 
permitted  to  go  on,  it  is  my  opinion  they  would  have  carried  the 
redoubt ;  but  as  it  was  apparent  the  lines  must  have  been 
ours  at  a  very  cheap  rate  by  regular  approaches,  I  would 
not  risk  the  loss  that  might  have  been  sustained  in  the 
assault,  and  ordered  them  back  to  a  hollow  way,  in  the 
front  of  the  works,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  musquetry." 
Can  the  reader  wonder,  that  the  troops  were  thus  eager 
for  the  attack,  and  that  it  required  repeated  orders  to  pre- 


468 


DOCUMENTS. 


vail  upon  them  to  desist,  when  the  general  himself  was  of 
opinion,  and  every  other  man  plainly  saw,  that  the  lines 
must  have  been  forced,  and  the  whole  rebel  army  taken  or 
destroyed  ?  Even  without  any  previous  defeat,  the  army 
which  attacks  another  in  their  trenches,  is  generally  thought 
to  have  the  advantage  

The  loss  of  a  hundred  men,  which  other  generals  thought 
would  be  the  greatest  they  could  sustain  in  forcing  the  camp ; 
and  the  putting  an  end  to  the  war,  by  the  de[p]letion  of  the 
rebel  army,  would  have  been  the  saving  of  ten  thousand 
brave  men's  lives,  which  have  been  lost  by  protracting  it. 

But  it  was  apparent,  we  are  told,  that  the  lines  must 
have  been  ours  at  a  very  cheap  rate  by  regular  approaches. 
Doubtless;  — but  they  helped  him  to  a  much  cheaper  one; 
and  that  was  to  move  off,  and  leave  them  to  him.  Were 
not  the  same  boats,  which  carried  the  rebel  army  from  'New 
York  to  Long  Island,  lying  ready  to  bring  them  back  from 
Long  Island  to  I^ew  York?  Had  the  admiral  destroyed 
any  one  of  them  ?  Could  they  wish  for  more  than  three 
days  leisure  to  collect  and,  add  to  them  all  the  vessels  in 
New  York,  and  the  adjacent  places,  to  carry  them  off? 
Could  he  think  that  they  would  not  exert  their  utmost 
diligence  to  save  themselves  from  the  destruction  which 
they  hourly  expected  

The  expression,  "  leaving  their  cannon  in  all  their 
works,"  manifestly  leads  us  to  conclude,  that  they  did  not 
take  any  away.  If  this  was  the  case,  and  we  look  to  the 
list  of  the  cannon  taken,  in  what  a  contemptible  light 
must  all  these  lines,  redoubts,  and  batteries  appear.  The 
brass  pieces  were  taken  in  the  rout  of  the  27th.  From 
that  day  therefore  to  the  30th,  a  great  army,  with  forty 
pieces  of  artillery,  besides  their  field  equipage,  attended 
by  a  fleet  carrying  many  hundred  guns,  are  all  stopped  in 
the  full  career  of  victory,  and  kept  in  awe  for  three  days 
together,  by  lines,  redoubts,  and  batteries,  of  three  miles 


DOCUMENTS. 


469 


extent,  containing  all  of  them  put  together  only  twenty-six 
pieces  of  iron  ordnance.  All  these  various  movements, 
necessarily  attending  the  retreat  and  embarkation  of  ten 
or  twelve  thousand  men,  with  the  best  part  of  their  cannon, 
baggage  and  stores,  were  performed  without  any  the  least 
interruption  from  either  army  or  fleet,  which  lay  so  near : 
and  that  too  on  the  very  night  of  a  full  moon.  Either 
the  ships,  on  one  of  the  foregoing  days,  could  have  pushed 
up  beyond  the  ferry,  and  prevented  that  vast  transporta- 
tion ;  or,  they  could  not ;  because,  I  suppose,  that  the 
batteries  on  the  two  shores,  and  on  Governor's  Island, 
rendered  it  impracticable.  But  then  the  general  could 
not  but  know  this.  And  the  |piblic  might  have  expected 
that  he  would  have  pressed  the  enemy  so  much  the  more, 
and  given  them  no  time  to  escape  from  him  at  land ;  since 
he  knew  he  could  not  intercept  their  passage  at  sea.  The 
nation  surely  need  not  repent  the  having  put  this  gentle- 
man at  the  head  of  an  American  establishment  for  fifty- 
four  thousand  troops,  attended  with  ninety-six  ships  of 
war. 


Extract  from  "MATTER  of  FACT."    Addressed  to  Lord 
George  Germain. 

*  *  *  *  I  shall  beg  your  lordship's  atten- 
tion, to  the  affairs  of  the  town  and  province  of  ISTew  York. 
I  do  not  like  to  treat  of  public  scandal;  I  will  not  let  fall 
a  single  word  upon  any  man's  intrigues,  where  they  do 
not  interfere  with  the  public  good;  where  they  do,  the 
public  has  a  right  to  know  the  cause  of  supineness  and 
inattention  in  a  general,  or  of  corruption  in  a  commissary. 
Gaming  must  ever  prove  of  the  very  worst  consequences* 
in  an  army,  and  totally  ruinous  if  the  example  should  hap- 
pen to  be  set  publicly  by  the  commander :  it  then  destroys 


470 


DOCUMENTS. 


subordination  and  respect,  encourages  licentiousness,  and 
all  discipline  falls  of  course.  A  young  officer  who  beholds 
his  general  every  evening,  at  a  pharo  table,  I  will  not  say 
lose  his  temper,  though  certainly  subject  to  fret  like  other 
men  who  play  a  game  of  chance,  in  which  there  can  be  no 
amusement  but  as  it  gratifies  avarice, —  I  say,  the  young 
officer  who  beholds  his  general  in  such  a  situation,  will  soon 
lose  the  respect  to  his  station,  which  he  has  lost  to  his 
person,  when  he  is  allowed  to  sport  as  freely  at  his  elbow 
on  his  slender  income,  as  the  general  does  on  his  princely 
revenues.  He  is  ashamed  not  to  do  it:  he  expects  to 
make  his  court  by  it.  There  is  little  economy  in  an  army 
where  high  gaming  is  alloi^d;  it  is  beneath  the  man  who 
plays  at  night  for  hundreds,  to  trouble  himself  the  next 
day,  how  he  is  to  live  upon  his  pay :  he  runs  in  debt  for  his 
necessaries,  and  the  country  must  be  plundered  to  supply 
his  mistress.  I  ask  you,  my  lord,  can  the  general,  or  any 
other  officer  of  rank,  pretend  to  restrain,  much  less 
punish,  an  inferior  for  plundering,  when  he  perhaps  won 
all  the  poor  gentleman's  money  the  night  before?  To  this 
cause,  perhaps,  as  much  as  to  the  example  set  by  the 
Hessians,  may  be  attributed  the  scandalous  height  to 
which  plundering  is  arrived  at  in  the  army.  And  yet,  my 
lord,  I  cannot  suppose  that  this  was  the  cause  of  officers  of 
very  high  rank  taking  large  quantities  of  wine,  tobacco, 
and  valuable  effects  belonging  to  merchants  at  'New  York, 
who  were  known  to  be  loyal,  and  who  eagerly  embraced 
the  first  opportunity  of  joining  the  King's  troops.  This 
must  have  been  done  under  the  impressions  of  that  favorite 
idea  "that  Parliament  has  declared  America  to  be  in 
rebellion,  and  that  therefore  every  man  in  it  has  ipso  facto 
forfeited  his  estate,  and  holds  it  entirely  at  his  Majesty's 

•fnercy,"  that  is  at  the  disposal  of  the  army  :  That  arch 

plunderer,  Gen.  De  Heister,  offered  the  house  he  lived  in 
at  New  York  at  public  sale,  though  it  was  the  property  of 


DOCUMENTS. 


471 


a  very  loyal  subject,  who  had  voluntarily  and  hospitably 
accommodated  him  with  the  use  of  it.  This  may  be  no- 
thing astonishing  in  a  Hessian.  But  I  have  seen  the  furni- 
ture of  good  and  loyal  subjects,  men  who  are  suffering 
restraint  or  imprisonment  among  the  rebels,  sold  by  public 
auction  ;  the  carriages  of  gentlemen  of  the  first  rank  seized 
upon ;  their  arms  defaced,  and  the  plunderer's  arms  bla- 
zoned in  their  place  ;  and  this  too  by  British  oflolcers.  An 
officer  of  high  rank  took  forcible  possession  of  a  gentle- 
man's carriage  and  horses,  after  it  was  well  known  he  had 
received  pardon  from  the  King's  commissioners :  he  used 
it  for  several  months,  and  was  with  difficulty  prevailed  on 
to  give  it  up.  This  was  acting  under  the  strongest  delu- 
sion, to  speak  of  it  in  the  mildest  terms ;  not  even  allowing 
the  King's  pardon  to  save  American  property  from  the  gene- 
ral passion  for  confiscation.  It  was  the  same  officer  who 
made  so  free  with  another  gentleman's  wine,  and  even 
offered  it  in  presents  by  the  pipe  to  his  friends  :  a  man, 
who  from  ostentation  and  weakness,  has  vibrated  between 
the  desire  of  popularity  as  a  magistrate,  and  the  vanity  of 
being  considered  as  a  military  genius.  I  conceal  his  name, 
because  he  really  has  good  qualities,  which  break  some- 
times through  the  cloud  of  imperfections  that  surround 
them.  I  have  thus  particularized  some  instances,  least 
your  lordships  should  suspect  the  truth  of  my  general  as- 
sertions. 


Extract  from  "  Review  of  the  War,'' 

*  *  *  *  When  he  [Gen.  Howe]  landed 
on  Long  island,  he  neglected  to  seize  the  heights  above 
Flat  Bush :  the  rebels  knew  their  importance,  and  took 
possession  of  them  at  3  in  the  afternoon,  which  he  might 
have  done  at  10  in  the  morning.    This  neglect  might  have 


472 


DOCUMENTS. 


been  fatal  to  him.  He  had  nearly  been  induced  to  attack 
where  he  must  have  failed.  But  the  enemy  had  their  neg- 
lects too.  Washington's  order  for  securing  the  Jamaica 
road  was  not  obeyed.  Gen.  Howe  by  a  night  march  occupied 
that  pass;  and  unperceived  by  the  enemy,  got  between 
their  army  on  the  heights  and  their  lines.  The  rebels  fled 
in  the  utmost  disorder.  Sullivan  owned  that  when  he  saw 
himself  surrounded,  he  desired  his  men  to  shift  for  them- 
selves. This  they  did  with  great  expedition;  and  our 
troops  were  following  the  rebel  fugitives  into  their  lines, 
when  they  were  with  the  utmost  difficulty  called  back  by 
the  repeated  orders  of  Gen.  Howe.  Exclusive  of  the  rebels 
who  were  routed,  there  were  only  300  men  with  Putnam 
in  their  lines.  There  is  not  the  least  doubt  but  our  soldiers 
would  have  carried  them  by  storm,  and  in  consequence, 
all  the  enemy's  army  on  Long  island,  consisting  of  7,000 
men,  must  have  been  killed  or  taken.  .  .  . 

Without  a  single  movement,  we  lay  3  days  in  the  face 
of  these  lines  with  18,000  men  eager  for  battle,  and  allowed 
the  enemy  to  ferry  themselves  over  to  IS'ew  York  with  all 
their  baggage,  though  their  place  of  embarkation  was  only 
a  mile  and  a  half  from  our  camp.  Lord  Howe  was  equally 
supine ;  he  lay  almost  within  sight  of  the  ferry,  and  with 
the  most  numerous  fleet  ever  seen  in  that  part  of  the 
world,  as  if  he  had  been  sent  to  cover,  rather  than  to  cut 
ofl"  their  retreat.  Had  the  two  brothers  most  earnestly 
desired  that  the  rebel  army  should  escape,  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  them  to  have  acted  more  properly  for  the  efibcting 
of  such  a  purpose. 

Though  our  commander  was  now  in  possession  of  the 
heights  that  commanded  Governor's  island,  he  sufiered 
1500  rebels  to  go  off  without  the  least  disturbance.  They 
retired  in  such  fright  that  they  abandoned  their  cannon ; 
but  two  days  after,  finding  we  did  not  take  possession, 
they  returned  and  carried  them  off  to  iJ^ew  York.  Our 


DOCUMENTS. 


473 


chief  now  composed  himself  for  more  than  a  fortnight, 
only  amusing  himself  in  erecting  a  battery  against  a  gen- 
tleman's house  on  York  island,  endeavoring  to  frighten 
the  rebels  with  the  noise  of  his  cannon,  but  without  doing 
them  any  harm.  During  this  time  he  should  have  gone 
up  the  East  river.  .  .  and  cutoff  the  rebel  retreat  by  King's 
bridge,  while  his  lordship  with  his  parade  fleet,  should 
have  occupied  the  I^orth  and  East  rivers ;  these  plain  and 
simple  movements  would  have  given  us  all  Washington's 
army,  and  all  the  rebel  ringleaders  almost  without  firing 
a  gun ;  for  they  must  have  surrendered  soon  for  want  of 
provisions.  In  this  case  too,  we  should  have  saved  the  600 
men  lost  before  fort  Washington. 

But  as  we  were  never  to  be  in  the  right,  after  giving  the 
rebels  17  days  to  runaway  from  ^ew  York,  we  crossed 
the  ferry  with  the  most  pompous  parade  to  take  possession 
of  it.  Had  we  been  wise  and  active,  we  might  even  now 
have  cut  off  the  retreat  of  rebels  by  King's  bridge,  but 
four  weeks  were  spent  at  Haerlem,  and  the  opportunity 
lost,  the  rebels  at  last  having  discovered  their  dangerous 
situation.  After  so  much  delay,  negligence,  and  blind- 
ness, we  were  at  last  to  do,  when  all  opportunity  was  gone, 
what  we  ought  to  have  done  six  weeks  before.  Our 
infallible  Hero,  above  all  good  advice,  and  taking  his  own 
way,  landed  on  Frogsneck,  Oct.  12th,  without  ever  think- 
ing before  hand  it  was  necessary  to  reconnoitre  the  ground. 
The  enemy  having  no  intention  to  dispute  this  paltry  slip 
of  land  with  him,  broke  down  the  bridge  that  joined  it 
to  the  main,  and  looked  at  him  from  their  entrenchments 
on  the  opposite  side  with  no  little  satisfaction ;  they  had 
shut  him  out  from  the  continent;  he  was  now  fairly  blocked 
up  on  the  land  side. 

[The  Detail  and  Conduct  of  the  American  Wa/r,  &c.,  3d  Ed.,  London,  1780.] 


60 


474 


DOCUMENTS. 


[  m.  44.  ] 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Philadelphia, 
Dated  August  31,  1776,  Saturday,  two  o'clock,  p.  M. 
You  will  no  doubt  be  very  anxious  to  receive  a  particu- 
lar account  of  the  late  engagement  between  our  troops  and 
the  enemy  on  Long-Island.  I  wish  our  information  enabled 
me  to  relieve  you,  but  at  present  we  are  in  the  most  pain- 
ful state  of  suspense,  the  post  not  having  yet  arrived,  by 
which  we  expect  full  intelligence.  From  the  letters  we 
have  received,  with  what  I  can  collect  of  others  sent  to 
inhabitants  of  this  city,  it  appears  that  the  enemy,  having 
landed  a  number  of  troops  on  the  night  of  the  26th,  and 
posted  them  advantageously,  without  being  discovered  by 
our  people,  and  having  also  posted  a  part  of  their  Army  in 
a  wood,  some  distance  from  the  main  body,  proceeded  in  a 
heavy  column  towards  our  intrenchments.  Early  on  the 
morning  of  the  27th,  a  firing  began  between  our  advanced 
guard  and  theirs ;  the  enemy,  with  their  middle  column, 
made  a  feint  at  our  works,  and  having  received  a  fire, 
retreated.  A  brigade  of  our  troops,  consisting  of  the  first 
New- York  Battalion,  two  Pennsylvania,  one  Delaware, 
and  the  Maryland  Battalion,  under  the  command  of  Gene- 
rals Sullivan  and  Stirling^  followed  the  enemy.  A  very  hot 
fire  was  kept  up.  When  the  enemy  had  retreated,  our 
troops  advanced  upon  them  some  distance.  The  troops  of 
the  enemy,  posted  for  that  purpose,  surrounded  our  friends 
and  a  most  savage  engagement  ensued ;  no  relief  could  be 
given  from  the  fort  to  our  troops,  without  hazarding  the 
post  at  Long-Island.  Thus  surrounded  with  thrice  their; 
numbers,  galled  on  one  side  by  Light-Horse,  and  torn  with 
artillery  in  front,  they  bravely  fought  for  several  hours ; 
however,  after  having  given  the  most  convincing  proofs  of 
their  bravery  and  skill,  and  having  sustained  considerable 


DOCUMENTS.  475 

loss,  they  were  obliged  to  yield  to  superior  numbers;  they 
were  broken,  and  retreated  as  well  as  they  could.  Many 
fell  by  the  bayonet,  which  was  pushed  with  equal  obstinacy 
by  the  two  adverse  parties.  Our  loss  is  not  ascertained — 
some  say  five  hundred,  and  some  say  three.  By  deserters, 
the  enemy  had  killed  and  wounded  five  hundred.  Gene- 
rals Stirling  and  Sullivan  were  both  missing,  when  we  last 
heard  from  Gleneral  Washington,  Thursday  morning,  four 
o'clock.  Colonels  Miles  and  Ailee  were  also  missing,  when 
our  last  intelligence  was  sent.  A  Colonel  Grant^  of  the 
enemy,  was  killed ;  who  else  of  distinction,  we  have  not 
heard.  The  enemy,  upon  the  retreat  of  our  brigade,  took 
possession  of  a  very  advantageous  wood,  near  our  out  in- 
trenchment.  Smallwood^s  Battalion  of  Marylanders  were 
distinguished  in  the  field  by  the  most  intrepid  courage,  the 
most  regular  use  of  the  musket,  and  judicious  movements 
of  the  body.  All  the  other  Battalions  behaved  as  became 
Americans  and  men  of  honor,- fighting  for  their  rights  of 
freemen.  When  our  party  was  overcome  and  broken,  by 
superior  numbers  surrounding  them  on  all  sides,  three 
companies  of  the  Maryland  broke  the  enemy's  lines,  and 
fought  their  way  through ;  the  others  attempted  to  cross 
a  small  creek,  which  proved  fatal  to  several  of  them.  I 
have  not  heard  of  their  loss,  but  presume  it  is  very  heavy, 
they  being  in  a  situation  very  much  exposed,  facing  the 
enemy's  cannon,  in  the  open  field  for  a  considerable 
time.  Captain  Veazey  and  Lieutenant  Butler  Sire  among 
the  honorable  slain.  I  don't  hear  of  any  other  officers  of 
that  battalion  being  killed  or  taken.  There  is  a  report  in 
town  that  Lord  Stirling  got  into  the  camp  safe,  but  I  fear 
it  is  not  true.  Since  this  engagement,  there  have  been  fre- 
quent skirmishes  between  our  troops  and  the  enemy,  the 
result  of  which  we  have  not  heard.  Our  posts  are  now 
very  near  to  each  other,  and  we  expect  hourly  to  hear  of  a 
very  general  engagement. 


476  DOCUMENTS. 

Saturday,  three  o'clock  p.  m. — By  the  post  arrived  just 
now,  we  are  certainly  informed,  that  our  whole  Army,  the 
night  before  last,  retreated  from  Long-Island  to  New-  York, 
bringing  away  the  most  of  their  cannon,  and  spiking  what 
was  left.  The  enemy  were  taking  measures  to  cut  off  the 
communications  between  the  island  and  the  main,  and  had 
also  got  possession  of  a  post  from  which  they  could  dis- 
tress our  camp  at  Long-Island.  Lord  Stirling  and  General 
Sullivan  are  both  prisoners.  The  enemy  it  is  said  have  lost 
one  thousand  men ;  two  Generals  of  theirs  are  also  killed ; 
they  sent  a  flag  to  exchange  Sullivan  and  Stirling  for  two 
missing  Generals  of  theirs,  but  we  had  them  not,  so  that 
they  must  have  fell.  The  Maryland  Battalion  lost  two 
hundred  men  and  twelve  officers.  Severe  fate  !  It  is  said 
our  whole  loss  is  five  or  six  hundred. 

[Force,  Archives,  vol.  i,  5th  Series,  fol.  1243.] 


[  No.  45.  ] 

Two  Narratives  of  the  battle  of  the  21th  Aug.  by  Soldiers. 

New  York,  Thursday,  August  29,  1776. 

On  Monday,  by  express,  and  by  several  other  messen- 
gers since,  we  hear  an  armed  brig  of  the  enemy,  with  two 
sloops  and  some  smaller  vessels,  are  in  the  Sound,  near 
White-Stone,  a  little  above  Hell-Gate. 

Wednesday,  in  the  afternoon,  a  great  hail  and  rain-storm 
came  on,  attended  with  thunder  and  lightning ;  at  which 
time  the  Ministerial  Army  attacked  our  lines  on  Long- 
Island,  at  three  different  places,  with  their  utmost  force ; 
but  the  intrepidity  of  the  soldiers  of  the  United  States, 
joined  with  that  vigour  becoming  a  free  people,  repulsed 
them ;  that  they  were  obhged  immediately  to  retreat  pre- 
cipitately, with  great  loss,  the  particulars  of  which  we 


DOCUMENTS. 


477 


have  not  as  yet  been  able  to  learn.  At  tbe  same  time, 
some  of  the  British  men-of-war  made  an  attempt  to  come 
up  to  the  city,  as  they  also  did  the  day  before,  but  the  wind 
at  both  times  entirely  obstructed  them ;  all  their  attempts 
we  hope  Heaven  will  still  continue  to  render  abortive. 

The  great,  the  important  day,  big  with  the  fate  of  Ame- 
rica and  liberty,  seems  to  draw  near.  The  British  troops 
began  to  land  on  Long-Island  last  Thursday,  nearly  their 
whole  force,  supposed  to  be  more  than  twenty  thousand 
British  and  foreign  troops.  They  marched  through  the 
smalhtown  of  New  Utrecht,  in  their  way  to  Flaibush,  another 
town  about  five  miles  from  this  city,  near  which  they 
encamped,  but  were  much  harassed  by  our  Riflemen. 
Scouting  parties  were  sent  from  our  Army  to  the  adjoining 
woods,  but  were  rather  scanty  in  their  numbers,  consider- 
ing the  extent  of  ground  they  had  to  guard.  The  British 
forces,  in  three  divisions,  taking  three  different  roads,  and 
the  advantage  of  the  night,  almost  surrounded  the  whole 
of  our  out-parties,  who,  though  encircled  with  more  than 
treble  their  number,  bravely  fought  their  way  through  the 
enemy,  killing  great  numbers  of  them,  and  brought  off 
some  prisoners.  The  New-  York  First  Battalion  behaved 
with  great  bravery.  Lord  Stirling's  brigade  sustained  the 
hottest  of  the  enemy's  fire  ;  it  consisted  of  Colonel  Miles' s 
two  battalions,  Colonel  Atlee's,  Colonel  Smallwood's,  and 
Colonel  Hatch's  regiments ;  they  were  all  surrounded  by 
the  enemy,  and  had  to  fight  their  way  through  the  blaze  of 
their  fire.  They  fought  and  fell  like  Romans.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Parry,  of  the  Pennsylvania  Musketry,  was 
shot  through  the  head  as  he  was  giving  orders  to  and  ani- 
mating his  men.  The  major  part  of  Colonel  Alice's  and 
Colonel  Piper's  regiments  are  missing.  Dr.  Davis  and  his 
Mate  were  both  taken  prisoners  as  they  were  dressing  a 
wounded  person  in  the  woods.  Colonel  Miles  is  miss- 
ing, (a  truly  amiable  character,)  and  supposed  to  be  slain. 


478 


DOCUMENTS. 


Generals  Stirling  smd  Sullivan  are  thought  to  be  killed. 
General  Parsons,  with  seven  men,  came  in  yesterday  morn- 
ing, much  fatigued,  being  for  ten  hours  in  the  utmost 
danger  of  falling  into  the  enemy's  hands.  Our  killed, 
wounded,  and  missing,  are  imagined  to  be  about  one 
thousand;  but,  for  our  encouragement,  the  missing  are 
hourly  coming  in.  General  Grant,  of  the  British  troops, 
from  good  intelligence,  is  among  the  killed ;  his  hat,  with 
his  name  on  it,  was  found  lying  near  the  dead  body;  the 
bullet  had  gone  through  the  hat,  and  carried  some  of  his 
grey  hairs  with  it.  Thus  fell  the  hero  who  boasted  in  the 
British  House  of  Commons  he  would  march  through  Ame- 
rica with  five  thousand  men,  having  only  marched  five 
miles  on  Long-Island,  with  an  Army  of  more  than  four 
times  the  number.  Our  out-guards  have  retreated  to  the 
main  body  of  the  Army  within  the  lines.  The  British 
Army  have  two  encampments  about  a  mile  from  our 
lines ;  and,  by  their  manoeuvres  'tis  plain  they  mean  to 
attack  us  by  surprise,  and  storm  our  intrenchments.  Our 
men  show  the  greatest  bravery,  and  wish  them  to  come  to 
action.    The  firing  continued  yesterday  all  the  day. 

On  Tuesday  twenty-two  prisoners  of  the  Regulars, 
among  whom  is  a  Captain,  a  Lieutenant,  and  an  Ensign, 
were  brought  over;  yesterday  another,  and  the  same  day 
thirty-seven  prisoners  more  were  taken  by  one  of  our  de- 
tached parties.  On  Tuesday,  five  or  six  ships  stood  almost 
within  reach  of  our  grand  battery,  but  came  to  an  anchor, 
and  yesterday  morning  dropped  down  again  to  the  fleet. 

The  alarm  was  so  great  last  Tuesday,  (occasioned  by  the 
attack  of  the  British  troops,)  the  day  appointed  for  fasting, 
humiliation,  and  prayer,  in  this  State,  for  imploring  Divine 
assistance  in  forming  the  iTew  Government,  that  the 
churches  were  not  opened,  nor  public  worship  performed. 

[American  Archives,  fol.  1212,  vol.  i,  5th  Series.l 


DOCUMENTS. 


479 


New  York,  August  29,  1776. 

On  Tuesday^  August  20,  a  number  of  ships,  with  troops 
on  board,  sailed  from  the  British  fleet  at  Staten-Island, 
through  the  Narrows,  and  next  day  were  followed  by 
many  more.  'Next  morning,  the  (22d,)  a  number  of  troops, 
supposed  to  be  about  ten  thousand  men,  landed  between 
JNew  Utrecht  and  Gravesend  on  Long-Island. 

On  Friday,  an  advanced  party  took  possession  of  Flat- 
hush,  where  our  people,  having  possession  of  the  surround- 
ing heights,  kept  a  continual,  though  irregular,  fire  upon 
them,  but  at  too  great  a  distance  to  do  much  execution; 
however,  some  were  killed  and  wounded  on  both  sides; 
the  enemy  keeping  up  an  almost  constant  fire  upon  our 
people  from  their  mortars  and  field-pieces,  loaded  with 
grape-shot,  &c.  On  Sunday,  some  of  their  men-of-war  and 
transports  got  under  sail,  and  it  was  supposed,  were  com- 
ing up ;  but  it  soon  appeared  they  only  went  to  cover  the 
landing  of  more  of  their  men  on  Long-Island,  when  great 
numbers  of  our  men  went  over  to  strengthen  our  posts, 
and  oppose  the  enemy.  On  Monday,  it  was  observed  that 
a  large  body  of  them,  supposed  to  be  near  four  thousand, 
w^re  marching  from  their  main  body  to  their  advanced 
posts.  That  night  our  people  began  to  throw  up  intrench- 
ments  on  the  highest  hill  near  Flathush,  which  would  have 
commanded  the  town;  but  the  enemy  having  the  same 
night  formed  a  design  to  gain  possession  of,  the  hill,  it  is 
said,  both  parties  met,  and  a  smart  engagement  between 
them  began  about  four  in  the  morning,  and  continued, 
together  with  severe  skirmishes  between  many  detached 
parties,  all  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  during  which  many 
were  killed,  wounded,  and  taken  prisoners  on  both  sides, 
and  several  are  missing.  Who  kept  possession  of  the  hill 
at  Flathush,  where  the  flag  is  still  flying,  we  have  not 
heard,  nor  which  party  has  upon  the  whole  the  advantage. 


480 


DOCUMENTS. 


Many  of  our  wounded  people  have  been  brought  over. 
On  Tuesday,  twenty-two  prisoners  of  the  Regulars,  among 
whom  is  a  Captain,  a  Lieutenant,  and  an  Ensign,  were 
brought  over;  yesterday  another,  and  the  same  day  fifty- 
seven  prisoners  more  were  taken  by  one  of  our  detached 
parties.  The  enemy  attempted  several  times  to  force  our 
lines,  but  were  always  repulsed  with  considerable  slaugh- 
ter, notwithstanding  their  superiority  in  point  of  discipline, 
and  an  extended  front.  On  Tuesday,  five  or  six  ships  stood 
almost  within  reach  of  our  grand  battery,  but  came  to  an 
anchor,  and  yesterday  morning  dropped  down  again  to  the 
fleet. 

From  the  best  accounts,  we  learn  that  the  force  of  the 
Ministerial  Army  at  Staien  and  Long  Islands  is  about  twenty- 
three  thousand  five  hundred  men ;  marines  unknown. 
The  fleet  consists  of  the  following  :  Ships  Asia  and  Eagle, 
of  sixty-four  guns,  the  Roebuck  and  Phoenix,  of  forty-four, 
one  bomb,  and  about  twenty  frigates  and  sloops-of-war. 
They  have  also  about  three  hundred  sail  of  transports, 
storeships,  and  prizes. 

[Force,  Archives,  vol  i,  5tli  Series,  fol.  1213.] 

."• 

[No.  46.  ] 

Extracts  from  President  Stiles^  Diary, 

Aug.  27.  s.  .  ,  Report  by  a  Vessel  that  when  she  left  'N. 
York  last  Thursdy,  an  action  was  supposed  to  be  begun 
as  Fireing  was  heard  at  the  W.  End  of  Long  Island.  The 
Rhode  Island  Gallies  are  returned  to  Newp*  they  left  N 
York  on  Wedn^  last  week,  when  it  was  said  the  Troops  on 
Staten  Isl*^  were  striking  their  Tents.  Much  erroneous 
news !  .  .  . 

Aug.  29.  u  ....  We  have  a  flying  Report  that  the 
Kings  Troops,  12.000,  have  landed  at  Long  Island.  .  .  , 


DOCUMENTS. 


481 


Aug.  31  ^2  This  afternoon  we  have  certain  Information 
by  the  Providr  paper  containig'  Extracts  from  IST  York 
paper  —  that  on  Thursday  22^  Inst  Gen  Howe  landed  Ten 
Thous'^  Kings  Troops  on  L.  Isd  near  Utrecht.  ... 

Sept  2(i  In  the  Paper,  E".  York  article  26  Aug*.  "  Tues- 
day last  (Aug.  20.)  a  number  of  Ships  w*^  Troops  on  board 
sailed  from  Staten  Isld  out  of  the  Narrows ;  next  day  they 
were  followed  by  many  more ;  and  abot  ten  o'clock  Thursdy 
(Aug.  22)  morning  about  10  MO  (tenthous'^)  men  landed  between 
New  Utrecht  ^  Gravesend  on  L.  Isld.  Friday  a  party  of 
them  came  &  took  possession  of  Flatbush,  which  imed^ 
bro't  on  a  very  hot  fire  from  our  Troops,  who  are  advan- 
tageously posted  in  the  Woods,  &  on  every  Eminence  round 
that  place." 

Lett,  dated  N  York,  Aug.  25,  1776. 

^'Yesterdy  I  was  at  Flatbush  —  their  advanced  Gruard 
of  about  1000  Men,  whom  our  Troops  were  continually 
fireing  at,  &  they  "returng  the  comp?."  .  .  . 

This  day,  Sept.  2^  about  xi  a.  m.  we  received  at  Dighton 
the  news  of  a  grand  Battle  at  ITew  York  on  Long  Isld. 
which  is  confirmed  repeatedly  this  afternoon.  This  Eveng~ 
M""  Adam  Babcock  told  me  he  this  day  at  Dartmouth  saw 
Cap*  Coit,  who  told  him  that  last  Saturday  at  Stonington 
he  saw  an  Express  from  Gen  Washington  to  Gov''  Trum- 
ble,  which  left  York  on  Friday  last,  via  Long  Isld  to 
]sr  London  carried  by  the  tide  to  Stonington.  This  Express 
told  him,  that  on  Thursday  last  (29*^  Aug)  a  Detatchm* 
of  2000  Kings  Troops  attacked  us  at  Red  Hook,  &  were 
repulsed.  Iniedy  came  on  the  same  a  general  action  be- 
tween it  was  supposed,  18000  Kings  Troops  &  22,000  Ameri- 
can Troops  on  L.  Isd ;  in  which  we  lost  many,  as  it  was 
supposed  5000  —  that  we  kept  our  Ground  &  that  G. 
Washington  was  removed  over  upon  L.  Isld.  From  all 
61 


482 


DOCUMENTS. 


which  I  collect  that  there  has  been  a  very  bloody  Battle. 
The  enemy  were  entrenching  within  Musquet  shot  of  our 
Arnay.  The  Good  Lord  support  &  sustain  us  in  this  trying 
Period !  Mr.  Babcock  judges  that  not  above  16  Thous*^ 
Connecticut  Troops  actually  at  K  York. —  That  the  last 
marchs:  on  the  W.  side  Connecf  River  did  not  exceed  8000. 
He  judges  the  whole  American  Army  at  "New  York  may 
be  Fourty  Thaus*^  effective  Men.  It  is  said  most  of  the 
Men  in  the  great  Battle  last  Thursdy  were  New  EngP 
Men.  .  .  . 

Sept.  3.  ^ .  .  .  This  Eveng"  a  ITewport  paper  of  yesterday 
came  to  Town.    In  which  is  an  Extract  of  a  Lett,  dated 

York  Aug.  19."  A  Deserter  from  the  Enemy 

yesterdy  says,  that  5000  nien  are  to  attack  Long  Isld,  & 
the  rest  New  York  on  Tuesday  next.  ..." 

Eeport  this  Eveng"  that  the  Kings  Troops  carry  all  before 
them  :  have  all  Long  Isld,  and  are  attackg  N  York  City. 
Tory  News. 

Sept.  4.  5 .  A  Newport  man  this  day  saw  the  post,  which 
informed  him  that  they  had  news  at  Providence,  where 
the  Assembly  is  now  sitting,  that  our  Loss  in  the  Battle 
last  Thursday,  was  about  Jive  hundred  killed  —  another 
Acc°  from  Newport  says  563  killed.  Uncertain,  but  pro- 
bable.—  The  Newport  Tories  have  sent  abroad  in  the 
Country  several  ways  a  report  briskly  circulating,  that  the 
Kings  Troops  have  got  all  L.  Isld  &  are  besieging  New  York 
itself.  

5.  2^.  Set  out  for  Eh.  Isld.  Mr.  Fisher  this  day  from 
Providence,  brings  certain  Acc°  that  G.  Washington  had 
withdrawn  our  Troops  from  Long  Island  and  that  Gen 
Sullivan  &  Gen  Ld  Stirling  were  taken  by  the  Enemy. 
I  lodged  at  Turners. 

Sept.  6.  ?  Came  to  Newport.  All  in  Sollicitude  about 
the  Evacuation  of  L.  Isld.  Tories  rejoycing — Sons  of 
Liberty  dejected 


DOCUMENTS. 


483 


7.  ^  A  Long  Md  man  just  from  thence  says,  the  West 
End  sent  a  Conaittee  to  Ld  Howe  (of  which  his  Brother 
was  one)  —  and  Ld  Howe  will  not  molest  them  if  neuters  or 
lay  down  Arms,  &  he  will  pay  for  provisions.  A  number 
of  Tories  (say  600)  joyned  the  Kings  Troops  &  took  arms 
against  us.    Long  Isld  evacuated  the  night  of  29th  ult. 

.  .  .  9  »  We  have  fought  better  on  L.  Isld  than  I  feared — 
it  is  cursorily  said  we  have  lost  800  killed  &  taken.  .  .  . 

10.  $.  Eeport  that  Ld  Howe  by  Gen  Sullivan  offers 
proposals  to  Congress  —  that  America  remain  independent, 
that  if  Gr.  Britain  shall  be  aided  with  men  from  hence  she 
shall  pay  us  —  that  if  we  need  assisf  from  thence,  we  shall 
pay  them. —  Incredible.  Monday  last  Week  the  Enemy 
had  not  taken  possession  of  our  deserted  Lines  on  L.  Isd, 
but  were  encamped,  say  within  one  mile  of  them  —  had 
not  bombarded  the  City. 

11.  ^  .  .  .  .  This  day  I  conversed  with  Capt  Sears  of 
IS"  York  the  famous  Patriot  —  he  said,  he  came  from  Y 
since  the  Evacn~  of  L  Isld :  —  that  the  first  Landg  of  the 
Regulars  on  L.  Isld  &  Encamp*  at  Flatbush  was  but  6000 
(tho'  called  10,000  in  the  prints) :  —  that  our  Forces  on  L. 
Isld  never  exceeded  seven  Thousand —  that  we  had  10,000  at 
Kings  Bridge,  10,000  at  the  City^&  10,000  in  the  middle  of 
the  Isld  of  K  York,  &  12,000  on  Jersey  side :  —  that  the 
Enemy  did  not  attack  Red  Hook,  that  on  the  day  of  princi- 
pal Action,  a  Debark*  was  perceived  but  judged  small, 
we  little  tho't  of  its  being  the  main  body « —  that  we 
attacked  with  about  three  thousand  &  fought  well,  but 
were  surprized  by,  findg  ourselves  flanked  &  interupted 
by  large  body  of  that  days  Landing.  I  observed  that 
we  had  great  Confidence  in  our  Generals  and  their 
Arrang*  of  the  Army;  but  it  was  a  matter  of  inquiry, 
why  we  had  so  few  forces  on  L.  Isld,  and  why  in  the 
Battle  it  should  have  been  said,  the  enemy  exceeded  us 
in  numbers  ?    He  replied,  that  was  known  from  the  begin^ 


484 


DOCUMENTS. 


that  if  the  main  body  of  the  Enemy  landed  on  L.  Isld,  it 
would  not  be  tenable  by  us ;  that  if  the  body  landed  else- 
where, we  had  Troops  eno'  to  keep  the  Isld  against  a  De- 
tachment &c. 

Mr  Rob*  Stevens  returng  from  Carolina  was  at  E".  York 
beging  July,  visited  his  intimate  Friend  Gen  Green  at  L. 
Isld  —  &  being  told  they  had  there  but  5000  he  asked  the 
General  the  Reason,  &  the  Gen  told  him,  it  was  well 
known  if  the  Enemy  landed  their  main  body  there,  the 
Isld,  was  not  tenable.    Mr  Stevens  told  me  this  to  day. 

17.  $  Actions  and  Battle  on  Long  Isld 

York  Aug'  26  &c. 

Collection  of  Accounts. 

York  Aug  28.  It  is  said  the  Enemy  on  L.  Isld 
have  been  reinforced  &  are  now  supposed  to  be  20,000 
strong.  Yesterday  several  Skirmishes  happened  between 
our  Troops  &  theirs;  but  we  cannot  obtain  any  particular 
Acc°;  all  we  can  learn  is,  that  we  have  taken  22  prisoners  — 
belonging  to  the  Marines,  &  Major  Cudgjo,  Comander  of 
Ld  Dunmores  black  Regiment:  Never  did  Troops  behave 
with  greater  Courage  ^  Resolution  than  ours  did  on  the  Occa- 
sion. They  made  several  attacks  on  our  Lines,  but  were  re- 
pulsed with  considerable  Loss,  &c" 

E"  York  Aug.  28,  8  o'clock  p.  m.  "This  minute  re- 
turned from  our  Lines  on  L.  Isld,  where  I  left  his 
Excell^  the  general.  From  him  I  have  it  in  cornand  to 
•  inform  Congress,  that  yesterday  he  went  there  &  continued 
till  eveng",  when,  from  the  enemy  havg  landed  a  consider- 
able part  of  their  forces,  many  of  their  movements,  there 
was  reason  to  apprehend  they  would  make  in  a  little  time 
a  general  attack.  As  they  would  have  a  Wood  to  pass 
thro'  before  they  could  approach  the  Lines  it  was  tho't 
exped*  to  place  a  number  of  men  there  on  the  different 
Rodes — .    This  being  done,  early  this  morn^  (Aug  27.) 


DOCUMENTS. 


485 


a  smart  Engagm*  ensued  between  the  Enemy  &  our  De- 
tatchment  w®  being  unequal  to  the  force  they  had  to  contend 
with  sustained  a  pretty  considerable  Loss,  at  least  many 
of  our  men  are  missing,  among  those  that  have  not  returned 
are  Gen  Sullivan  and  Ld  Stirling. — Our  party  bro*  off  a 
Lieu*  Serg*  &  Corporal  with  20  privates  prisoners.  While 
these  Detatchm*  were  engaged,  a  column  of  the  Enenjy 
descended  from  the  Woods,  &  marched  towds  the  Center 
of  our  Lines,  with  a  Design  to  make  an  Impression^  hut 
were  repulsed.  This  Eveng~  they  appeared  very  numerous 
about  the  Skirts  of  the  Wood,  where  they  have  pitched 
several  Tents : —  To  day  five  Ships  of.  the  Line  came  up 
towards  the  Town  &c  — ;  and  on  my  Return  this  eveng~  I 
found  a  Deserter  from  the  23d  Reg*  who  informed  me 
that  they  design,  as  soon  as  the  Wind  will  pmit  them, 
to  come  up  to  give  a  severe  Canonade  &  to  silence  our  Bat- 
teries if  possible." 

Long  Isld  "  Wednesday,  daybreak.  "  I  have  the  plea- 
sure to  inform  you  I  have  survived  a  very  warm  Engag* 
yesterday  (Tuesdy  27th  Aug).  Our  Battalion  has  suffered 
much  —  we  retreated  thro'  a  very  heavy  Fire  &  escaped 
by  swiming  over  a  River  or  Creek  rather;  my  height 
was  of  service  to  me  as  I  touched  almost  all  the  way. 
E'umbers  of  men  got  drowned  —  We  are  now  all  safe 
in  our  Lines  and  Forts.  The  affair  yesterday  teas  only  a 
Skirmish  on  the  Isld,  about  three  miles  from  our  Works.  The 
particulars,  I  cannot  give  you,  but  we  were  decoyed,  &  at 
once  surrounded  I  am  confident  by  ten  thousd  men. 

Another  Letter  Aug  27. 

"  Yest^  abo*  120  of  our  men  went  as  a  Guard  to  a  place 
called  Red  Lyon  on  Long  Isld.  About  eleven  o'  Clock  at 
night  (Aug.  26)  the  centries  descried  2  men  —  our  men  fired 
upon  them  :  the  Enemy  then  retreated  &  about  one  o'clock 
(Aug.  27.  mane)  advanced  with  about  2  or  300  men,  & 


486 


DOCUMENTS. 


endeavored  to  surround  our  Guard :  but  they  being  watch- 
ful gave  them  2  or  3.  fires  &  retreated  to  alarm  the  remain- 
der of  the  Battalion,  except  1  Lieu*^  &  about  15  men  who 
have  not  been  heard  of  as  yet.  About  four  o'clock  this 
morning  the  Alarm  was  given  by  beating  to  Arms  ;  when 
the  remainder  of  our  Battalion''  (Gol.  Attle's  Pensylv* 
Battal'')  accompanied  by  the  Delaware  &  Maryld  Batal- 
lions  went  to  the  place  where  our  men  retreated  from. 
About  a  q''  of  a  mile  on  this  side,  we  saw  the  Enemy  when 
we  got  into  the  "Woods  (our  Batt''  being  the  advanced 
Guard)  amidst  the  incessant  fire  of  their  field  pieces  loaded 
with  Grapeshot,  which  continued  till  ten  o'clock.  The 
Marylanders  on  their  Left  fiank  &  we  on  their  Right  kept 
up  a  constant  fire  amidst  all  their  canon,  &  saw  several  of 
them  fall :  but  they  being  too  many  for  us,  we  retreated  a 
little  &  then  made  a  stand.  Our  Col.  Parry  was  shot 
thro'  the  head,  &  I  was  under  a  necess^  of  retreating  with 
him  to  this  place  —  since  which  I  have  heard  the  enemy 
are  within  600  yds  of  our  Lines." — 

Lett.  N.  York  Aug  27. 

"  I  sit  down  to  write  in  the  midst  of  Confusion  to  tell 
you  that  our  pple  have  been  engaged  with  the  Enemy  on 
L.  Isld  all  this  morning, —  our  men  on  the  Isld  behave 
bravely.    Heaven  send  them  victory. 

"  Thirty  five  minutes  past  Twelve  noon.  Firing  still 
continues  with  Intermission.  A  man  o'  war  comg  up  s*^ 
to  be  the  Roebuck  &c. 

"P.  S.  The  first  Batt^  of  IST  York  Col  Lashley  and  the 
Fensylv"-  &  Maryl"^  Batallions.  behaved  with  the  greatest 
Bravery  even  to  a  fault.  They  were  conianded  by  Ld 
Stirling. —  We  forced  the  enemy  into  their  Lines." 

Lett.  JV  York  Aug  28. 

Yesterdy  proved  a  distressing  one  on  L.  Isld  —  great 
numbers  killed  on  both  sides.  —  The  Generals  Sullivan, 


DOCTJMEXTS. 


487 


Stirling  (fc  Parsons  went  out  of  the  Lines  too  far  &  were 
all  missing  this  morning,  with  many  others. —  On  the 
whole  I  believe  our  Troops  behaved  -with  spirit  and  have 
not  yet  given  way  in  their  skirmishg  to  any  equal  number 
of  the  enemy" 

Lett.  N  York  Aug  30. 

"In  a  Council  of  War  yesterday,  it  was  determined  that 
our  Lines  on  Long  Isld.  were  not  tenable  &  therefore  the 
Council  concluded  to  evacuate  them.  Ld.  Stirling  k  Gen 
Sullivan  are  prisoners.  Gen.  Howe  allowed  Gen  Sullivan 
a  Flag,  by  which  he  informed  us  of  this  &  that  he  was 
politely  treated." 

Lett.  N.  York,  Aug^.  31. 

"  You  are  no  doubt  surprized  to  hear  of  our  sudden 
Reti-eat  from  L.  Isld,  but  was  thought  absolutely  essential 
from  our  Situation.  We  were  under  a  necess^"  of  march^ 
out  &  attackg  them  upon  their  own  Ground,  or  sufterg 
ourselves  to  have  been  starved  into  a  Surrender.  First, 
because  they  were  entrenching  within  500  yards  of  our 
Lines  —  and  because  their  Shipping  might  have  run  up 
the  E.  Hirer  ^  cut  off  our  Eesources  of  provision  & 
every  other  necessary.  The  Retreat  was  conducted  with 
the  greatest  Secresy  &  by  six  o'clock  in,  the  morng  we  had 
every  Thing  embarked.  There  never  was  a  man  that 
behaved  better  upon  the  Occasion  than  G.  Wash^.  he 
was  on  horseback  the  whole  night,  &  never  left  the  ferry 
stairs  till  he  had  seen  the  whole  of  his  Troops  embarked." 

'  Lett.       York  Sept.  1. 

"  Last  Monday  Morng~  (Aug  26)  we  went  over  to  Long 
Isld,  and  about  midnight  we  were  alarmed  by  the  Return 
of  some  of  our  scouting  parties,  who  advised  us  that  the 
English  were  in  motion  &  comg  up  the  Isld  with  several 


488 


DOCUMENTS. 


Field  pieces.  It  was  generally  that  not  to  he  the  main  body  ; 
but  only  a  detatch*  with  a  view  to  possess  themselves  of 
some  advantageous  •  Heights.  Upon  which  near  Three 
2 housand  men  were  ordered  out,  consisting  chiefly  of  the 
Pensylv*  &  Maryld  Troops  to  attack  them  on  their  march. 
About  Sunrise  we  came  up  with  a  very  large  Body  of 
them.  The  Delaware  &  Maryl*^  Battalions  made  one  party. 
Col.  Atlee  with  his  Battalion  a  little  before  us  had  taken 
post  in  an  Orchard  —  and  on  the  approach  of  the  Enemy 
he  gave  them  a  very  severe  Fire,  which  he  bravely  kept  up 
for  a  considerable  Time,  until  they  were  near  surrounding 
him  when  they  retreated  to  the  Woods.  The  Enemy  then 
advanced  towards  us,  upon  which  Ld  Stirling,  who  com- 
anded,  imediately  drew  up  in  a  Line  ^  offered  them  Battle  in 
the  true  English  Taste.  The  British  Army  then  advanced  with- 
in about  200  yards  of  us,  and  began  a  heavy  fire  from  their 
canon  ^  mortars,  for  both  the  Balls  &  Shells  flew  very 
fast,  now  &  then  taking  off  a  head.  Our  men  stood  it 
amazingly  well,  not  even  one  of  them  shewed  a  Disposi- 
tion to  shrink. 

Our  orders  were  not  to  fire  until  the  Enemy  came  within 
fifty  yards  of  us,  but  when  they  perceived  ive  stood  their  fire 
so  cooly  ^  resolutely  they  declined  coming  any  nearer,  altho' 
treble  our  number.  In  this  situation  we  stood  from  sunrise  to 
Twelve  o'clock,  the  Enemy  firing  upon  us  the  chief  part  of 
the  time,  when  the  main  Body  of  their  Army,  by  a  Hout  we 
never  dreamed  of,  had  intirely  surrounded  us,  &  drove 
within  the  Lines,  or  scattered  in  the  Woods  all  our  men, 
except  the  Delaware  ^  Maryl^  Battalions,  who  were  stand- 
ing at  Bay  ivith  double  their  Number.  Thus  situated  we 
were  ordered  to  attempt  a  Retreat  hjfightg  our  Way  thro' 
the  Enemy,  who  had  posted  themselves  &  nearly  filled  Every 
Field  ^  Road  between  us  ^  our  Lines.  We  had  not  re- 
treated a  quarter  of  a  mile  before  we  were  fired  upon  by  an 
advanced  party  of  the  Enemy,  &  those  upon  our  Rear  were 


DOCUMENTS. 


489 


playing  upon  us  with  their  Artillery.  Our  men  fought 
with  more  than  Roman  Virtue,  and  I  am  convinced  would 
have  stood  until  they  were  shot  down  to  a  man.  We 
found  the  advanced  party,  which  first  attacked  us,  to  give 
way,  thro'  which  opening  we  got  a  passage  down  to  the  side 
of  a  Marsh,  seldom  before  waded  over,  which  we  yassed  & 
then  swam  a  narrow  River  ;  all  the  time  exposed  to  the  fire  of 
the  Enemy.  ■  The  companies  comanded  by  Captains  Ramsay 
&  Scott  were  in  the  front  and  sustained  the  first  fire  of  the 
Enemy,  when  hardly  a  man  fell. 

The  whole  of  the  right  wing  of  our  Batalion  thinkg  it 
impossible  to  pass  thro'  the  Marsh,  attempted  to  force 
their  way  thro'  the  Woods,  where  they  were  almost  to  a 
man  killed  or  taken.  The  Maryld  Battallion  has  lost  Two 
hundred  and  fifty  nine  men,  among  whom  are  12,  officers  — 
who  of  them  are  killed,  or  who  are  prisoners  is  yet  uncer- 
tain. Many  of  the  Officers  lost  their  Swords  &  Guns. 
We  since  intirely  abandoned  Long  Isld,  bringing  off  all 
our  Military  Stores.  Generals  Sullivan  ^  Stirling  are  both 
prisoners.  Col.  Atlee,  Miles  &  Piper  are  also  taken. 
There  are  about  1000  Men  missing  in  all.  We  took  a  few 
Prisoners.  By  a  Lieutenant  we  took,  we  understand 
they  had  about  23,000  men  on  the  Isld  that  morning. 
Most  of  our  Generals  were  on  a  high  Hill  in  our  Lines 
viewing  us  with  Glasses.  When  we  began  our  Retreat, 
they  could  see  the  Enemy  we  had  to  pass  ihro\  tho'  we  could  not. 
Many  of  them  tho't  we  would  surrender  in  a  body,  without 
firing.  When  we  began  the  attack.  Gen  Washington  — 
cried  out.  Good  God!  what  brave  Fellows  I  must  this  day 
lose!  Major  Guest  comanded  the  Maryld  Batallion,  the 
CoP  &  L*  CoP  being  both  atisTew  York.  Captains  Adams 
and  Lucas  were  sick.  The  Major,  Capt  Ramsey,  &  L* 
Plunket  were  foremost  ^  within  fourty  yds  of  the  Enemy  s  Muz- 
Zeis  when  they  were  fired  upon  by  *the  Enemy,  who  were 
chiefly  under  Cover  of  an  Orchard,  save  a  few  that  shewed 
62 


490 


DOCUMENTS. 


themselves,  &  pretended  to  give  up,  clubbing  their  Fire- 
locks until  we  came  within  that  Distance,  when  they  iniedy 
presented  &  blazed  in  our  faces ;  they  intirely  overshot  us 
&  killed  some  men  away  behind  in  the  rear.  I  had  the 
Satisfaction  of  dropping  one  of  them  the  first  fire  I  made. 
I  was  -so  near  I  could  not  miss.  I  discharged  my  Rifle 
seven  times  that  day  as  deliberately  as  ever  I  did  at  a 
Mark  &  with  as  little  Perturbation." 

This  is  the  best  account  I  have  seen  All  these  letters 
sent  to  Philad''  &  published  there. 

Prints  N  York  Article  Aug.  29. 

"  Wednesdy  in  the  afternoon  (28  Aug.),  a  great  hail  & 
rain  storm  came  on,  attended  with  Thunder  &  Lightg  at 
which  Time  the  ministerial  Army  attacked  our  Lines  on  X. 
IsU  at  three  different  'places  with  their  utmost  force.  But 
the  intrepidity  of  the  Soldiers  of  the  United  States,  joyned 
with  that  Vigour  becomg  a  free  pple,  repulsed  them  ;  that 
they  were  obliged  imedy  to  retreat  precipitately  with  great 
Loss :  the  particulars  of  w°  we  have  not  as  yet  been  able 
to  learn.  At  the  same  time  some  of  the  British  Men  of 
"War  made  an  attempt  to  come  up  to  the  City,  as  they 
also  did  the  day  before,  but  the  Wind  at  both  Times 
intirely  obstructed  them  —  The  British  Troops  began  to 
land  on  L.  Isld  last  Thursdy  (22  Aug),  nearly  their  whole 
Force,  supposed  to  be  more  than  20,000  British  &  foreign 
Troops.  They  marched  thro'  the  small  Town  of  Utrecht, 
in  their  Way  to  Flatbush,  another  T°  about  five  Miles  from 
this  City,  near  which  they  encamped,  but  were  much 
harrassed  by  our  Eiflemen.  Scoutg  parties  were  sent  from 
our  army  to  the  adjoyning  Woods,  hut  were  rather  scanty  in 
their  numbers,  considg  the  Extent  of  Ground  they  had  to 
guard.  The  Britisji  Forces  in  three  Divisions,  taking  three 
different  Bodes  &  the  Advant^  of  the  Night,  almost  sur- 
rounded the  whole  of  our  Out-parties,  who,  tho'  encircled  with 


DOCUMENTS. 


491 


more  than  treble  their  number,  bravely  fought  their  "Way 
thro'  the  Enemy,  Killing  great  numbers  of  them  &  bro't 
ofl*  some  prisoners.  The  IS"  York  first  Battalion  behaved 
with  great  Bravery.  Ld  Stirlings  Brigade  sustained  the 
hottest  of  the  Enemys  Fire,  it  consisted  of  Col.  Miles' s  two 
Battalions,  Col.  Atlee's,  Col.  Smallwoods,  &  Col.  Hatch's 
Regiments:  they  were  all  surrounded  by  the  Enemy,  & 
had  to  fight  their  way  thro'  the  Blaze  of  their  fire  — 
they  fought  and  fell  like  Romans !  —  L*.  Col.  Barry  of 
the  Pensylv*  Musquetry  was  shot  thro'  the  head,  as  he 
was  giving  orders  to  &  animatg  the  men.  The  major  part 
of  Col.  Atlees  &  Col.  Piper's  Reg*'  are  missing.  D" 
Davis  &  Mate  were  both  taken  prisoners  as  they  were 
dressg  a  wounded  pson  in  the  Woods.  Col.  Miles  is  miss- 
ing (a  truly  amiable  Character)  &  supposed  to  be  slain. 
Generals  Stirling  &  Sullivan  are  tho't  to  be  killed.  General 
Parsons,  with  seven  Men  came  in  yesterday  (28*^)  morning 
much  fatigued  being  for  ten  hours  in  the  utmost  Danger 
of  falling  into  the  Enemies  hands.  Our  killed  loounded  ^ 
missing  are  imagined  to  he  about  1000 ;  but  for  our  Encourag* 
the  missing  are  hourly  coming  in.  General  Grant  of  the 
British  TVoops,  from  good  Intelligence  is  among  the  killed; 
his  Hat  with  his  name  on  it  was  found  lying  near  the  dead 
Body :  the  Bullet  had  gone  thro'  the  Hat  &  carried  some 
of  his  grey  hairs  with  it.  Thus  fell  the  Hero,  who  boasted 
in  the  British  House  of  Cordons,  he  ivoidd  march  thro'  Ame- 
rica with  five  Thou^  men,  having  marched  only  five  miles  on  L. 
Isld  with  an  Army  of  more  than  four  times  the  number.  Our 
out-guards  have  retreated  to  the  main  body  of  the  Army  within 
the  Lines,  The  British  Army  have  two  encampm^^  about  a 
mile  from  our  Lines  &  by  their  Manoeuvres,  tis  plain  they 
mean  to  attack  us  by  surprise,  &  storm  our  entrenchments. 
Our  men  shew  the  greatest  Bravery,  &  wish  them  to  come 
to  action.    The  Firing  continued  yest^  (28)  all  day. 


492 


DOCUMENTS. 


On  Tuesday  (27)  twenty-two  prisoners  of  the  Regulars, 
among  whom  is  a  Cap*,  a  L*,  &  an  Ensign,  were  brot  over. 
Yesterday  (28)  another,  &  the  same  day  thirty  seven  pri- 
soners more  were  taken  by  one  of  our  detatched  parties. 
On  Tuesdy  (27)  5  or  six  ships  stood  almost  within  reach 
of  our  Grand  Battery  but  came  to  an  anchor,  &  yest^  morng 
dropt  down  again  to  the  fleet. 

The  Alarm  was  so  great  last  Tuesdy  (27)  occasioned  by 
the  attack  of  the  British  Troops)  the  day  appointed  for  Fast- 
ing, Humiliation  &  prayer  in  this  State  (N  York)  in  forming 
the  new  Governm*  that  the  Churches  were  not  opened  nor 
public  Worship  performed." 

End  of  N  York  Article. 

"  Col.  Grant  &  a  number  of  other  Officers  of  the  Enemy 
were  Killed.  Gen  Sullivan  is  wounded  in  the  Leg,  &  a 
prisoner ;  Brigadier  Gen  Ld  Stirling  is  missing,  &  Brig~ 
Gen  Parsons  was  surrounded  in  a  swamp  &  narrowly 
escaped."    Lett  IST  Y.  29.  Aug*. 

Paper  printed  at  N  York  since  29  Aug*. 

The  Gen  Congress  have  ordered  three  Posts  every  Week 
thro'  the  Continent  —  to  ride  night  &  day  —  a  Rider  for 
every  25  or  30  miles. 

In  Congress  30  Aug*  1776. 

From  the  preceding  Accounts  respecting  the  Transac- 
tions on  Long  Isld,  I  collect,  1.  That  the  Kings  Troops 
began  landing  there  22  &  23  of  Aug*,  and  by  27th  had  their 
main  body  landed,  perhaps  15  or  16  Thous*^  (tho'  it  is  sd 
20  Th.)  for  they  must  have  left  one  Third  of  their  Army 
at  Staten  Isld.  2.  That  on  the  Morning  of  Tuesday  27th 
Aug*  being  on  Fast-day,  we  sent  out  phps  3  or  4000  at 
most,  as  out-guards  &  advanced  parties  to  harrass  &  ob- 
struct the  Enemy's  Approaches,  &  so  to  retreat  within  the 
Lines.  3.  That  they  whe'n  out  meditated  a  Field  fight 
(contrary  to  the  primary  Design)  and  a  part  of  them  boldly 
cast  themselves  into  that  form  arranging  our  lines  of 


DOCUMENTS. 


493 


Battle  accordingly ;  &  that  the  Enemy  ranged  their  Line 
of  Battle  300  yds  from  ours.  4.  That  in  this  manner  we 
stood  for  six  hours  till  ]N"oon,  without  giving  our  fire  &  yet 
receivg  the  canonade  of  the  Enemy's  Artillery.  5.  That 
previous  to  this  one  of  our  Regiments  had  a  warm  Action 
in  the  Woods  &  iDehaved  well.  6.  That  the  Enemy  out- 
generalled  us  by  a  covert  March  of  one  of  their  3  columns 
so  as  to  encircle  &  surround  our  main  body,  which  had 
hitherto  stood  ready  for  action  but  hitherto  without  fight- 
ing. 7.  That  thereupon,  instead  of  surrendering  our  men 
fought  their  Way  thro'  heroically  and  valiantly,  so  that 
about  three  Quarters  got  home  to  the  lines  —  for  subse- 
quent Account  make  our  missing  7  or  800.  Again,  8. 
While  we  lost  two  Generals  taken,  the  Enemy  had  one 
General  Killed  the  infamous  Grant.  It  is  said  he  was 
slain  by  our  Gen  Parsons.  This  the  state  of  the  Ac- 
tions Tuesday  —  the  Enemy  having  succeeded  to  drive  us 
within  our  Entrenchments  —  This  the  Enemy  undoubtedly 
consider  as  a  great  Victory.  But  9.  On  Wednesdy  28th 
Aug*,  the  Enemy  met  with  a  Repulse  at  our  Lines,  very 
heavy  &  discouraging :  and  as  to  Loss  on  their  side  very 
great  &  far  beyond  ours  on  the  27th.  Fame  says  2000  — 
suppose  3  or  400  Killed.  On  the  29th  indeed  we  evacu- 
ated L  Isld  —  but  on  the  whole,  we  may  be  satisfied  —  at 
least  not  so  mortified  as  if  we  had  been  driven  ofi*  thro' 
Cowardice  &  without  good  fighting.  We  may  conjecture 
the  Position  of  the  Armies  Tuesdy  noon,  thus 


•  The 

Kings 

Army 

Gen.  Grant 


Gen.  Parsons 


Lord  Stirling 


Gen  Sullivan 
Delaware 


:NYork:    :  Martlanders 

Col.  Hatch  Col.  Small :  Col.  Atlee's 


Col.  Miles. 


494 


DOCUMENTS. 


Undoubtedly  this  Exemplar  is  not  exact.  But  there 
were  three  Kegiments  &  3  Battalions,  equal  to  six  Battalions 
of,  say,  500  effective  men  each ;  making  a  Corps  of  about 
three  Thousand  —  a  proper  &  suitable  Body  to  reconoitre 
and  harrass,  but  not  give  pitched  Battle  to  Ten  or  15 
Thousd. 

Oct.  14.  .  .  .  Major  Lamb  of  K  York,  is  just  returned 
from  his  Captivity  at  Quebec  where  he  was  taken  when 
Gen  Montgom^  was  slain.  I  saw  him  at  Stratford.  He 
lay  on  board  ship  at  ^T.  Y.  some  Time.  He  tells  me  the 
regulars  said  on  board  his  ship,  they  had  lost  four  hundred 
killed  on  L.  Isld  besides  wounded ;  which  agrees  with  Ld 
Howes  say  that  he  had  lost  Eighteen  hundred  brave  Men 
there  —  for  if  400  were  killed,  1800  were  damaged.  .  .  . 

i^ov.  4.  .  .  .  Account  of  Action  on  Long  Isld  Aug*, 
last  from  a  Spectator  in  a  Lett,  dated  Sept.  14,  1776. 

"  On  23*^  of  Aug*  before  day  the  Enemy  began  to  land  a 
Body  of  Troops  at  Utretch.  The  morng  was  foggy. 
They  were  disco to  be  still  landg  after  sunrise.  By  abot 
two  o'clock  they  reached  Flat  Bush,  where  they  were  met 
by  a  Body  of  our  pple  who  skirmished  with  them  to 
advantage.  After  that  we  kept  a  Picket  Guard  of  fifteen 
hundred  men  between  Flat  Bush  and  Brockland  in  the 
Woods  and  on  Eminences,  who  were  continually  skirmishg 
with  the  enemy  —  ^  From  the  southermost  part  of  the  Bay 
below  Bushwick  in  a  Line  drawn  fr.  9  strait  on  a  little  to 
the  left  of  7,  down  to  the  creek  running  up  to  &  by 
Brockland,  were  our  Lines  &  Forts  by  w''  we  had  enclosed 
a  Tract  of  Land  to  the  Westward  next  to  York.— 
Our  Lines  fronted  the  East.  On  the  Left  near  the  lowest 
part  of  the  above  described  bay  was  Fort  Putnam^  near  the 
middle  Ft.  Green,  &  towds  the  creek  F*  Box  ;  the  whole 
were  composed  of  Forts,  Eedoubts,  Breast-works  &c. 


^  Vide  Brown's  Atlas. 


DOCUMENTS. 


495 


On  Monday  ISTiglit  about  five  thousand  of  the  Enemy, 
with  fifty  or  60  Lighthorse,  filed  off  to  the  right  up  to 
Bushewick,  crossing  the  Land  &  mak^  a  circuit  to  avoid 
our  advanced  posts,  with  a  Design  of  falling  upon  our 
Left.  We  had  made  the  Eodes  leading  to  our  Lines  from  the 
diff*  adjacent  T°^  quite  inconvenient  or  unsafe.    A  heavy 
JDetaichment  marched  on  Tuesdy  momg  before  day  from  the 
Narrows  to  attack  our  advanced  Guards  on  that  Quarter,  & 
on  com^  up  with  began  to  engage  them.    On  that  Ld 
Stirling  icent  off  icith  about  twelve  hundred  men  to  support  them. 
Ere  he  arrived  the  Enemy  Landed  a  Body  of  about  three 
TJiou^  in  the  small  Bay  just  below  the  mouth  of  the  Creek; 
w°  obliged  him  to  form  his  men  into  two  Lines,  meeting  in 
an  obtuse  Angle,  one  stretching  up  to  the  Creek  betioeen  the 
Regulars  ^  Brockland,  the  other  leading  away  from  that 
where  it  formed  the  Angle  towards  Flat  Bush  &  was 
joyned  by  a  number  of  the  picket  Guard.     Ld.  Stirling 
began  to  Engage  the  Enemy  a  little  after  sunrise.    About  2 
hours  after  that,  between  ix  &  x,  the  five  Thous^  that  had 
nmrched  all  night,  and  taken  a  circuit  to  Bushwick,  fell  upon 
the  Rear  of  our  l^orth  Rode  picket  Guard  under  Gen  Par- 
sons, w°  occasioned  another  Body  of  our  Men  under  Gen 
Sullivan  to  advance  that  way  with  a  View  of  supportg 
them.    A  great  part  of  the  N°  Rode  Picket  Guard  fought 
their  Way  down  to  the  Creek.    The  Hessians  marched  over 
the  riatbush  Plains  &  formed  a  middle  Line  in  such  a 
Direction  as  to  prevent  G.  Sullivans  getting  into  our  Lines 
in  the  usual  Way ;  and  his  men  were  therefore  obliged  to 
cross  the  Creek  at  the  upper  part,  next  to  a  Mill  Dam.  Ld. 
Stirlings  Men  after  having  fought  a  long  while  forded  the 
mouth  of  the  Creek  next  to  the  Bay;  when  the  five  Thous*^ 
had  got  down  to  the  right  of  our  Lines  next  to  the  Creek, 
they  made  an  attack  but  were  repulsed.    The  Line  between 
Box  fort  &  the  Creek  was  not  compleated  the  day  before. 
There  was  an  opening  adjoyning  to  the  Creek,  w''  it  was  tho't 


496 


DOCUMENTS. 


the  Enemy  was  acquainted  with ;  for  when  they  came  to  it,  & 
found  the  Entrance  closed  with  a  Breast  work  &  other  De- 
fences, they  appeared  confounded,  however  they  made  the 
attack  with  one  'party ^  and  then  with  another^  supposed  with  a 
view  chiefly  of  carrying  off  the  dead  &  wounded  under  cov<3r 
of  the  fire :  ourpple  found  afterwards  about  a  hundred  packs. 
My  Informer  rode  down  to  the  Troops  in  this  part  of  the 
Line  with  a  message  from  an  Ofiicer  more  to  the  left  who 
saw  the  movement  of  the  Enemy,  intimatg  his  apprehen- 
sion that  they  would  be  attackt,  &  they  were  in  immediate 
Keadiness.  The  Enemy  proposg  to  cut  off  &  and  make 
Prisoners  as  many  of  our  men  as  possible,  pressed  hard 
upon  them ;  we  had  great  numbers  in  a  salt  marsh  near 
the  Creek,  who  were  fired  upon  without  having  more  than 
one  killed.  The  Enemy's  Fire  did  but  little  Execution, 
the  Balls  flying  generally  over  the  heads  of  our  pple. 
Several  of  our  men  havg  no  chance  of  escaping  otherwise 
betook  themselves  to  the  Woods,  &  afterwards  came  in. 
When  the  Engag*  began  our  Lines  were  thinly  mann'd  but 
some  Eegim*'  being  called  in  &  others  bro't  over  from 
York,  there  was  a  suflacient  number  before  an  Attack 
could  be  made.  All  our  Troops,  to  whatever  Colony  belonging, 
behaved  admirably  well;  &  I  apprehend  have  given  such 
Specimens  of  true  Bravery,  as  will  if  possible  be  a  stronger 
proof  of  our  real  Courage,  than  Breed's  (generally  mis- 
called Bunkers)  Hill  Engagement.  Gen  Sullivan  &  Ld 
Stirling  were  taken  Prisoners.  General  (the  noted  Colonel 
who  reprobated  the  Americans  as  not  having  a  single 
Quality  of  the  good.  Soldier)  Grant,  and  Gen.  [Jones]  were 
killed  on  the  part  of  the  Enemy.  We  lost  six  field  pieces 
includg  2  Howitz;  Our  Artill^  men  behaved  heroically. 
(Four  Southern  Eeg*'  suffered  a  large  Body  of  the  Enemy 
to  advance  upon  them  till  within  about  thirty  yards,  owing 
to  their  having  their  Firelocks  club'd.  Upon  their  being 
told  that  if  they  came  forward  they  sh"^  be  fired  upon,  & 


DOCUMENTS. 


497 


being  required  to  declare  their  design,  they  presented  &  fired 
as  soon  as  possible ;  our  pple  returned  it  &  kept  up  such  a 
fire  as  obliged  them  to  fall  back]  Gen.  Howes  plan  seems . 
to  have  been  well  laid.  Apprehend  that  he  was  in  hopes 
of  drawg  out  the  Body  of  our  troops  from  the  Lines,  by 
attack^  our  Picket  Guards  in  the  neighborhood  of  Flat- 
bush,  &  that  being  done,  to  get,  into  our  Lines  by  means 
of  the  5000  he  marched  to  Bushwick ;  or  of  surroun^  &  over- 
powerg  those  that  were  out  of  the  Lines,  shd  he  not  suc- 
cede  to  the  utmost  of  his  Wishes.  An  Assailant  with  a 
superior  force,  as  was  the  case  with  Howe,  has  greatly  the 
Advantage,  being  master  of  his  own  plan,  whereas  the 
opposing  party  must  act  wholly  conjecturally  in  defend^ 
themselves  &  resist^  the  Enemy.  Notwithstandg  which, 
the  Resolution  &  Prudence  of  the  Provincials  baflied  the 
European  Generals,  &  tho'  the  kind  interposition  of  Heaven 
blasted  their  intended  triumph  over  the  Yankees. 

On  Wednesdy  in  a  heavy  shoiver  of  Rain  the  Enemy 
attackt  our  Lines  between .  Ft.  Piiinam  ^  Green  ;  our  men 
were  directed  &  readily  complied,  to  lie  upon  the  ground 
with  their  bodies  over  their  Firelocks,  so  that  the  Enemy 
got  repulsed. 

His  Excell^  Gen.  Washington  observg  a  movm*  in  the 
Fleet  &  suspectg  that  there  was  a  design  of  cuttg  off"  the 
cohiunic''  with  the  City,  without  w°  our  forces  could  not  be 
supported  many  days,  &  considg  that  on  the  Land  side  we 
were  shut  in  within  our  Lines,  most  wisely  concluded  upon 
evacuating  the  Isld :  He  concealed  his  Intention  while  he 
got  the  Boats  &c  ready,  and  on  the  Thursday  was  over 
with  them  in  the  Eveng  about  seven  o'clock.  The  Bri- 
gades were  ordered  to  be  in  Readiness  with  Bag  &  Bag- 
gage to  march  at  such  a  Time,  but  Knew  not  for  where  or 
what;  the  second  did  not  know  where  the  first  was  gone, 
nor  the  third  the  second ;  the  last  marched  oflP  at  the  firing 
of  the  three  o'clock  Gun  on  friday  morning.  Providence 
63 


498  DOCUMENTS. 

favoured  us.  The  night  was  remarkably  still ;  the  Water 
was  as  smooth  as  Glass,  so  that  all  our  Boats  went  over 
safe  tho'  many  of  them  were  but  about  three  Inches  out 
of  Water.  At  ©  rise  a  g*  fog  came  up.  The  Enemy  did 
not  discover  that  we  had  evacuated  our  Lines,  till  we  were 
all  over. — 

Governors  Isld  was  evacuated  at  the  same  tiine.  We 
left  behind  upon  both  Islds  about  half  a  dozen  large  Guns. 
Three  or  4  men  are  missing  who  came  off  in  a  Batteau. 
This  evacu*  is  a  masterpiece,  vasty  sup''  to  Howes  Conduct 
when  he  evacuated  Boston.  One  or  other  Brother  (it  may 
be  both)  has  candor  eno'  to  own  that  it  will  make  a  figure 
in  History.  The  Killed,  wounded  ^  missg  fr.  the  Returns 
made  last  Tuesday  sen'  night  fall  short  of  five  hundred. 
Most  of  the  missing  are  prisoners.  We  have  heard  of  some 
getting  to  the  E.  End  of  L.  Isld  &  fr  thence  crossing  the 
sound,  so  that  the  number  will  be  reduced  to  little  more 
than  400.  The  Enemys  Loss  is  s^  to  be  from  a  Thous^ 
to  two  Thous'^.  [Have  been  told  that  their  killed  amount 
to  more  than  five  hundred,  which  is  not  to  be  wondered  at 
considg  that  all  ours  are  Marksmen ;  &  if  so  their  killed  & 
wounded  must  be  far  towds  2000.]  On  fridy  or  Sat^ 
(the  first  my  Informer  thinks)  a  N''.  of  Ships  came  up  to 
the  place,  w°  it  was  tho't  they  meant  to  occupy  in  order  to 
cut  off  the  conaunication.  May  we  not  say  in  the  Lang"  of 
the  Sacred  Writers,  our  soul  is  escaped  as  a  Bird  out  of  snare 
&c.  We  are  bound  to,  &  I  trust  shall  always  honor  the 
Instruments ;  but  as  it  is  the  Inspir*  of  the  M.  High  that 
giveth  Understg,  let  Gd  have  the  chief  Glory.  Our  People 
were  about  Twelve  Thous^  when  they  left  the  Islands ;  the 
Enemy  was  thought  about  Eighteen  "    End  of  the  Letter 

In  the  beginn^  of  it —  "  The  chief  &  best  of  my  Inform* 
I  rec*  yest^'  morn^  fr.  a  Brother  by  Profession  who  was 
upon  the  Isld  most  of  the  Sumer,  Knows  all  the  Ground 
in  the  ITeighbourhood  of  the  Fortifications,  loas  on  Horse- 


DOCUMENTS. 


499 


hack  ivithin  our  Lines,  loith  a  Glass  ^  his  naked  Eye  saw  most 
of  the  proceedings,  &  heard  hundreds  of  the  Enemys  shot  fly 
over  his  head.  What  is  not  fr.  him  &  that  he  could  not 
confirm,  tho'  he  did  not  deny,  I  shall  enclose  in  crotchets. 
NoY,  27  .  .  Cap'  Dennis  a  Captive  from  Halifax,  which 
he  left  about  End  of  Octr  says,  the  Officers  on  board  con- 
sidered their  Loss  at  attack^  our  Lines  on  L.  Island  in 
Aug*  last  by  Gen  Howes  Returns  at  330  Killed  of  the 
Kings  Troops,  and  wounded  uncertain :  that  an  Eng~  or 
Scotch  but  British  Baronet  who  came  over  as  a  Traveller 
&  was  a  Spectator  of  the  Action,  declared  in  Halifax,  the 
Kings  loss  was  much  greater  than  G.  Howes  returns,  so  as 
to  excite  some  stir  there.  .  .  . 

[Manuscript  Diary  of  Rev.  Ezra  Stiles,  D.  D.,  in  possession  of  Yale  College.] 


[  ^0,  47.  ] 

Narrative  of  Maj.  A  hraham  Leggett. 

...  I  agreed  to  Go  on  to  Pokipsey  and  do  work  on  the 
Two  Frigates  that  was  to  be  Built  there  by  order  ofthe  Con- 
tinal  Congress  then  sitting  In  Philadelphia  on  the  first  of 
Febru'ry,  1776,  several  that  was  Engaged  and  walked  to 
Pokipsey  83  miles — there  I  was  engadg'd  Till  the  first 
July.  I  then  with  several  others  Formed  ourselves  in  a  com- 
pany under  the  command  of  Barnardus  Swartout  all  YoUen- 
teers  —  the  Times  began  to  appear  Very  Interesting — the 
British  Fleet  and  large  army  was  at  Statten  Island — we 
march'd  off  in  High  Spirrits  Till  we  Got  to  the  Calder- 
barrack  near  the  Croton  Eiver  —  there  we  Staid  but  three 
Days  for  Derection  —  we  then  had  news  that  English  army 
was  Preparing  to  land  on  Long  Island — that  they  Easy 
effected  under  The  Protection  of  Shiping — our  army  was 


500 


DOCUMENTS. 


at  this  Time  on  Brooklin  Hights  ^  fortifying  as  fast  as  they 
could — the  Enemy  advanced  upon  Part  of  our  army  under 
the  com'd  of  Lord  Sterling  and  General  Sullivan  —  they 
Faught  on  the  Eetreat  to  flat  Bush  Hills.  There  the 
battle  became  Very  Hot  but  the  Enemy  was  too  Powerful — 
they  extended  there  write  wing  so  as  to  Cut  off  the  Retreat 
of  our  detachment  from  the  main  army  which  they  suc- 
ceeded in  and  they  Xill'd  and  Captured  many,  amongst  them 
was  several  officers  and  Two  Gen'ls  —  many  was  drownded  in 
the  mill  Pond.  This  took  Place  28th  august  1776— the 
next  day  the  29,  Capt.  Swartout  crowsed  with  us  to  the 
Island  and  we  was  Placed  on  the  Left  from  the  Hill  call'd 
Fort  Green  to  Wallabout  —  the  Two  armies  close  in  View 
of  Each  other,  and  for  three  Days  the  Pain  fell  in  Torrents 
so  that  we  could  not  Cook  —  then  was  the  first  Time  I  was 
Brought  to  Eat  Raw  Pork  —  the  last  night  we  was  on  the 
Island  myself  and  Several  of  Volunteers  was  Put  on  ad- 
vanced Centres  with  speshel  orders  How  to  behave  Should 
we  discover  the  Enemy  advancing  —  the  night  was  Foggy 
&  Very  Dark.  Some  circumstance  made  all  the  Centres 
Return  on  the  lines  but  myself  —  my  Remaining  at  my 
Station  was  Imputed  to  Bravery.  Early  in  the  morning  yet 
Very  Dark  we  was  Paraded  under  the  Report  that  we  was  to 
attack  the  Enemy  in  there  lines  we  was  Led  around  we 
new  not  where  till  I  saw  the  old  Stone  Church  of  Brook- 
lin —  then  an  officer  Riding  by  Says,  a  Groce  mistake  — 
we  was  orded  to  wheel  about  and  Reman  the  lines,  wich 
we  did  —  a  dangerous  attempt  —  There  we  Remaned  Till 
Some  Time  after  —  we  then  formed  the  Rear  Gard  we  was 
orderd  forward,  still  expected  to  meet  the  enemy  Till  we 
found  ourselves  at  the  Ferry  and  the  army  all  cross'd  But 
the  Gard  then  under  the  Co*mmand  of  Gen'l  Mifflin  — 
we  then  was  order'd  to  Choak  up  the  Street  with  waggons 


*  A  battery  of  eight  guns  was  constructed  liere. 


DOCUMENTS. 


501 


and  carts  to  Prevent  the  Light  Horse  from  Rushing  Down 
upon  us — at  this  time  no  boats — I  Prepared  myself  to  Swim 
the  River  flood  tide  But  Fortunately  Two  Battoes  Struck 
the  Shore  —  by  this  Time  there  was  but  a  few  of  us  left — 
we  all  Hurred  on  Board  and  Shoved  ofl" — the  Enemy 
Rush'd  Down  on  the  Hill  and  Commenced  a  Brisk  fire. 
Fortunately  no  one  was  Hurt  in  our  Boat  —  the  other 
Boat  had  four  wounded  — we  Remaned  in  the  Town 
Two  days  then  our  Capt.  march'd  us  up  the  Island 
to  near  King's  Bridge  —  after  our  army  had  all  Cross'd 
the  Enemy  was  Preparing  for  Further  operations.  Two 
Frigates  came  threw  the  Buttermilk  Channel  and  came 
to  anchor  ofl"  Turkel  &  Kips  Bay  to  cover  the  land- 
ing of  there  army  from  Long  Island  —  at  this  Time  our 
Troops  was  Retreating  up  York  Island  —  the  Enemy  ad- 
vancing till  Harlem  Hills — there  our  Troops  Gave  Battle  — 
the  Battle  was  Severe  for  a  Time.  .  .  . 

pPrinted  from  the  original  manuscript  with  Introduction  and  Notes  by 
Charles  I.  Bushnell.] 


[  m.  48.  ] 

Statement  of  Hezekiah  Munsell. 

In  the  month  of  July  ...  we  were  ordered  over  to  Long 
Island,  where  we  were  quartered  more  than  a  month,  dur- 
ing which  the  troops  suffered  much  from  sickness  

 Our  company  was  divided,  so  that  one  half 

would  go  from  the  barracks  at  Brooklyn,  to  Flatbush 
to  keep  garrison  one  day,  and  the  next  day  the  other  half 
would  come  to  relieve  them.  We  were  daily  expecting 
that  we  should  be  annoyed  by  the  enemy.  Some  one  of 
our  company  went  every  day  to  get  milk  for  the  sick  sol- 


502 


DOCUMENTS. 


diers  at  an  old  Dutchman's.  About  the  time  the  enemy 
began  to  land  on  the  island,  I  went  on  the  errand  myself, 
when  the  old  Dutchman  remarked  that  there  would  be 
"  tousands  and  tousands  of  'em." 

On  the  morning  of  the  battle  on  Long  Island,  the  sol- 
diers were  busily  employed  in  throwing  up  a  breast- work, 
and  in  cutting  and  drawing  into  a  line  before  the  breast- 
work, a  row  of  apple  trees,  the  brush  turned  from  us.  I 
worked  on  the  breastwork,  and  drawing  in  the  trees. 
Col.  Hart  had  command  of  our  regiment  at  the  time.  Col. 
Gay  being  sick  in  Kew  York,  where  he  died. 

We  were  now  all  prepared  for  an  engagement  with  the 
enemy.  It  has  been  said  by  some  that  General  Washing- 
ton never  left  his  saddle  during  the  day;  but  I  saw  him 
walk  along  the  lines  and  give  his  orders  in  person  to  the 
colonels  of  each  regiment.  I  heard  him  give  orders  to 
Col.  Hart,  which  were  much  like  the  following:  "K  the 
enemy  come  to  attack  us,  let  them  approach  within  twenty 
yards  before  you  fire."  It  was  thought  to  be  a  stratagem 
of  the  enemy  to  draw  our  fire,  and  then  force  us  from  the 
entrenchment;  but  Washington  was  too  old  for  them. 
I  also  heard  Washington  say:  "If  I  see  any  man  turn  his 
back  to-day  I  will  shoot  him  through ;  I  have  two  pistols 
loaded ;  but  I  will  not  ask  any  man  to  go  further  than  I 
do;  I  will  fight  so  long  as  I  have  a  leg  or  an  arm."  This 
is  but  a  scrap  of  what  the  brave  Washington  said  on  that 
occasion.  He  said  the  time  had  come  when  Americans 
must' be  freemen  or  slaves :  quit  yourselves  like  men,  like 
soldiers ;  for  all  that  is  worth  living  for  is  at  stake. 

During  the  day  of  the  Long  Island  battle,  on  the  right 
wing  where  I  was  stationed,  there  was  but  little  firing. 
The  position  which  we  held  at  the  time  was  near  a  tide- 
mill —  the  yellow  mill.  While  Washington  was  giving 
his  orders  to  our  colonel,  there  was  in  the  pond,  where  this 
mill  stood,  a  man  who  was  attempting  to  escape  from  the 


DOCUMENTS. 


503 


enemy,  an  inhabitant  of  the  island  probably,  who  was  stuck 
in  the  mud.  Some  proposed  to  go  and  help  him.  Wash- 
ington said  no,  knowing  that  they  would  be  in  the  same 
predicament,  and  thus  liable  to  be  taken  by  the  enemy. 
What  became  of  the  poor  fellow  I  never  knew. 

I  did  not  see  the  British  on  the  day  of  this  battle ;  the 
ground  was  such,  and  a  grove  intervening,  as  to  cut  oft* 
the  prospect.  I  was  not  personally  knowing  to  anything 
more  relating  to  the  battle,  of  any  interest,  but  what  is 
generally  known.  On  the  night  we  retreated  I  was  just 
relieved  from  the  breast-work,  when  I  heard  an  of&cer 
remark  that  we  were  going  to  retreat.  The  next  person  I 
heard  speak  of  it  was  Gen.  Putnam,  when  we  were  on  the 
march.  He  then  spoke,  I  thought  imprudently,  for  some 
one  might  have  carried  his  report  to  the  enemy.  We  left 
the  island  for  New  York  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock 
in  the  evening.  The  retreat  was  conducted  without  any 
difficulty.  When  the  morning  came  I  went  to  the  grand 
battery,  and  looking  over  to  the  [Long]  island,  saw  two  of 
our  men  plunge  into  the  water,  and  swim  to  get  away 
from  the  British.  The  enemy  fired  at  them,  but  they 
swam  till  our  boats  picked  them  up.  I  don't  know  as  any 
of  our  men  were  lost  on  the  island  by  being  left. 

[Stiles,  Ancient  Windsor,  page  714.] 


[  'Eo.  49.  ] 

BecoUections  of  the  Revolution  on  Long  Island. 

"  Having  been  myself  much  gratified  by  perusing  de- 
tached narratives  of  important  events  which  occurred 
during  our  revolutionary  struggle,  and  which  the  historian 
passes  over  in  gross,  I  am  induced  to  submit  the  following, 


504 


DOCUMENTS. 


thinking  it  may  interest  some  of  your  readers,  coming  as 
it  does  from  an  eye  witness  of  the  scenes. 

"  E"©  period  in  our  struggle,  probably,  was  more  critical 
than  the  year  1776,  and  no  part  of  that  year  more  so,  than 
when  our  army  was  posted  on  Long  Island  in  the  month 
of  August.  I  was  there,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  had 
been  attached  to  the  Army  from  a  few  days  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Lexington,  and  was  present  during  the  whole  time 
of  our  occupying  the  post  on  the  Island.  Gen.  Washington 
was  himself  there  with  the  flower  of  the  army.  Gen.  Howe 
was  at  the  head  of  the  British  troops,  and  it  is  well  known 
that  the  enemy  had  never  concentrated  a  more  numerous 
and  better  appointed  army  than  was  brought  together  at 
that  time  and  place. 

"  It  was  on  the  22^  day  of  August  that  the  enemy  landed 
a  large  body  of  troops  on  the  south  west  point  of  the  Island 
and  moved  to  the  village  of  Flatbush,  five  or  six  miles  from 
Brooklyn  Ferry.  A  detachment  of  our  army,  consisting 
of  2400,  was  sent  to  meet  them.  This  body  was  posted 
so  as  to  occupy  the  only  three  passes  through  the  hills 
between  Flatbush  and  Brooklyn,  where  the  enemy  would 
probably  attempt  to  force  their  way.  They  occupied  the 
plain  southward,  and  their  advanced  guards  were  so  near 
ours  that  they  reached  us  with  their  German  rifles.  They 
also  annoyed  us  with  grape  shot  from  their  field  pieces. 
The  soldier  knows  that  when  the  smoke  from  the  muzzle 
and  vent  of  a  gun,  are  seen  in  the  same  line  with  himself, 
the  piece  is  aimed  at  him.  In  such  circumstances  at  this 
time,  I  remember  that  I  stepped  behind  a  tree  to  avoid 
the  shot  discharged  from  one  of  their  pieces.  When  the 
grape  had  passed  I  perceived  that  one  of  them  had  struck 
the  tree  behind  which  I  stood.  These  being  the  only 
passes  by  which  the  enemy  could  approach  directly,  and 
as  our  force,  so  posted,  was  viewed  suflicient  to  defend 
them,  both  bodies  remained  in  that  position,  till  the  night 


DOCUMENTS. 


505 


of  the  26th.  I  well  remember  that  all  the  former  part  of 
the  night  their  front  guards  appeared  very  active/  fre- 
quently passing  and  repassing  between  us  and  their  fires, 
doubtless  to  attract  our  attention  and  serve,  as  a  cover  for 
their  main  object;  for  at  dark  they  pushed  a  large  body  from 
their  right,  and  by  a  forced  march  all  night  by  the  Bedford 
road,  came  in  the  rear  of  our  troops  just  at  day  break,^  and 
the  first  we  knew  of  it  was  by  their  firing  on  our  out  guards. 
Just  before  this  attack,  their  troops  which  remained  at^  the 
first  post  [in  the  village  of  Flatbush]  commenced  an  attack 
on  our  front,  which*  had  completely  drawn  our  attention. 
They  were  soon  repulsed,  but  when  it  was  perceived  that 
our  flank  had  been  turned,  a  retreat  was  ordered;  and  here 
commenced  a  scene  most  disastrous  to  us.  Those  from 
the  three  posts  retreating  separately,  were  met  by  the 
enemy  in  solid  body,  and  thus  were  driven  back  alter- 
nately on  either  body  of  the  enemy's  forces.  During  the 
night  another  strong  body  of  the  enemy  had  landed,  which 
moved  and  joined  the  first  assailants.  Our  troops  were 
now  hemmed  in,  except  700  or  800  (of  which  the  writer 
was  one)  who  made  their  way,  through  our  to  main  body. 
The  remainder,  composed  principally  of  Huntington's  and 
Smallwood's  regiment,  with  a  number  of  the  flying  troops, 
making  about  1000,  rallied  and  were  formed  on  advanta- 
geous ground  under  the  command  of  Brigadier  Gen.  Lord 
Stirling  as  oflacer  of  the  day,  and  sustained  the  attack  of 
the  enemy  with  the  utmost  firmness,  repulsing  them  and 
making  a  number  of  prisoners.  But  the  enemy's  main 
body  coming  up  to  the  combat,  and  our  troops  seeing  it  in 
vain  to  make  further  resistance,  surrendered.    We  being 


^  As  the  only  part  of  the  American  lines  from  wliich  the  enemy  could  be 
seen  was  at  Valley  Grove,  it  was  near  this  place  that  the  writer  was  stationed. 

^  The  writer  errs  in  supposing  that  the  enemy's  flanking  movement  and 
his  assault  were  simultaneous.  The  latter  did  not  take  place  until  nine 
o'clock. 

64 


506 


DOCUMENTS. 


called  rebels,  the  most  barbarous  treatment  was  inflicted 
by  the  enemy.  Capt  Jewett,  of  Huntington's  regiment, 
an  oflicer  much  respected  and  beloved,  of  elegant  and 
commanding  appearance  and  of  unquestionable  bravery, 
was  murdered  in  cold  blood.  Having  surrendered  his 
sword  when  demanded,  the  oflicer  on  receiving  it  instantly 
plunged  it  through  his  body.  Our  wounded  were  mostly 
put  to  death  by  the  bayonet.  An  [American]  Soldier  near 
me  fired  on  one  of  those  murderers  and  brought  him  down ; 
leaving  his  own  black  gun,  he  seized  the  brighter  one  of 
him  who  fell,  the  bayonet  of  which  I  perceived  was  bloody 
more  than  half  its  length. 

"IN'o  one  unused  to  such  scenes  can  form  any  just  idea 
of  the  confusion  and  vicissitudes  of  that  day.  In  the  flight 
of  those  who  broke  through,  numbers  plunged  themselves 
into  a  mill-pond  which  intercepted  them,  rather  than  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  These  were  either  drowned 
or  shot.  The  loss  on  our  side  was  supposed  to  exceed 
1,000,  including  the  slain  and  captured.  As  there  was 
no  account  of  4:he  wounded,  they  were  probably  all  dis- 
patched who  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands.  Those  of  the 
advanced  body  who  escaped  joined  their  regiment,  and  the 
main  body  formed  on  a  snell  of  ground  at  Brooklyn, 
facing  the  enemy,  and  behind  a  small  body  of  earth  hastily 
thrown  up  and  rails  placed  on  end,  as  at  Bunkers  Hill. 
Between  nine  and  ten  in  the  morning,  the  enemy's  main 
body  appeared.  The  front  column  advanced  within  about 
20  or  30  rods  of  the  centre  of  our  line,  their  flanks  firing 
on  our  right.  Gen.  Washington  rode  slowly  past  the 
whole  of  our  rear,  encouraging  the  troops.  When  passing 
the  place  where  I  was  posted,  he  said  in  an  animating 
one,  (I  recollect  distinctly  his  words),  '  Remember  what 
you  are  contending  for.'  The  enemy,  instead  of  com- 
mencing the  attack,  as  was  momentarily  expected,  moved 
by  the  right  behind  a  snell  of  ground  and  were  soon  out 


DOCUMENTS. 


507 


sight.  This  unexpected  movement  of  the  enemy,  owing 
to  the  extreme  caution  of  Gen.  Howe,  who  remembered 
Bunker  Hill,  gave  to  our  army  the  opportunity  of  effecting 
the  memorable  retreat  of  the  29th. 

"  The  state  of  our  army  on  the  day  and  until  the  night 
of  the  29th  when  the  retreat  from  the  Island  took  place, 
is  justly  detailed  by  the  historian  ;  but  I  have  never  read 
any  history  of  the  day  of  the  29th,  where  the  incidents 
which  took  place  are  detailed  with  accuracy." 

[From  the  Vermont  Chronicle  of  January  14tli,  1832.] 


[  1^0.  50.] 

Extract  from  the  Narrative  of  James  Sullivan  Martin,  [pp. 

18-23.] 

I  remained  in  I^Tew-York  two  or  three  months,  in  which 
time  several  things  occurred,  but  so  trifling  that  I  shall 
not  mention  them ;  when,  sometime  in  the  latter  part  of 
August,  I  was  ordered  upon  a  fatigue  party;  we  had 
scarcely  reached  the  grand  parade,  when  I  saw  our  ser- 
geant-major directing  his  course  up  Broadway,  toward  us, 
in  rather  an  unusual  step  for  him ;  he  soon  arrived  and 
informed  us,  and  then  the  commanding  officer  of  the  party, 
that  he  had  orders  to  take  off  all  belonging  to  our  regi- 
ment and  march  us  to  our  quarters,  as  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  Long-Island,  the  British  having  landed  in  force 
there.  Although  this  was  not  unexpected  to  me,  yet  it 
gave  me  rather  a  disagreeable  feeling,  as  I  was  pretty  well 
assured  I  should  have  to  snuff'  a  little  gunpowder.  How- 
ever I  kept  my  cogitations  to  myself,  went  to  my  quarters, 
packed  up  my  clothes,  and  got  myself  in  readiness  for  the 
expedition  as  soon  as  possible.  I  then  went  to  the  top  of 
the  house  where  I  had  a  full  view  of  that  part  of  the 


508 


DOCUMENTS. 


Island;  I  distinctly  saw  the  smoke  of  the  field-artillery, 
but  the  distance  and  the  unfavorableness  of  the  wind  pre- 
vented my  hearing  their  report,  at  least  but  faintly.  The 
horrors  of  battle  there  presented  themselves  to  my  mind 
in  all  their  hideousness ;  I  must  come  to  it  now,  thought 
—  well,  I  will  endeavor  to  do  my  duty  as  well  as  I  am 
able  and  leave  the  event  with  Providence.  We  were  soon 
ordered  to  our  regimental  parade,  from  which,  as  soon  as 
the  regiment  was  formed,  we  were  marched  off  for  the 
ferry.  At  the  lower  end  of  the  street  were  placed  several 
casks  of  sea-bread,  made,  I  believe,  of  can  el  and  peas- 
meal,  nearly  hard  enough  for  .musket  flints;  the  casks 
were  unheaded  and  each  man  was  allowed  to  take  as  many 
as  he  could,  as  he  marched  by.  As  my  good  luck  would 
have  it,  there  was  a  momentary  halt  made ;  I  improved 
the  opportunity  thus  ofl'ered  me,  as  every  good  soldier 
should  upon  all  important  occasions,  to  get  as  many  of 
the  biscuit  as  I  possibly  could ;  no  one  said  any  thing  to 
me,  and  I  tilled  my  bosom,  and  took  as  many  as  I  could 
hold  in  my  hand,  a  dozen  or  more  in  all,  and  when  we 
arrived  at  the  ferry-stairs  I  stowed  them  away  in  my  knap- 
sack. We  quickly  embarked  on  board  of  the  boats ;  as 
each  boat  started,  three  cheers  were  given  by  those  on 
board,  which  was  returned  by  the  numerous  spectators 
who  thronged  the  wharves ;  they  all  wished  us  good  luck, 
apparently ;  although  it  was  with  most  of  them,  perhaps, 
nothing  more  than  ceremony.  We  soon  landed  at  Brook- 
lyn, upon  the  Island,  marched  up  the  ascent  from  the  ferry 
to  the  plain.  We  now  began  to  meet  the  wounded  men, 
another  sight  I  was  unacquainted  with,  some  with  broken 
legs,  and  some  with  broken  heads.  The  sight  of  these  a 
little  daunted  me,  and  made  me  think  of  home,  but  the 
sight  and  thought  vanished  together.  We  marched  a 
short  distance,  when  we  halted  to  refresh  ourselves. 
Whether  we  had  any  other  victuals  besides  the  hard  bread 


DOCUMENTS. 


509 


I  do  not  remember,  but  I  remember  my  gnawing  at  them; 
they  were  hard  enough  to  break  the  teeth  of  a  rat.  One 
of  the  soldiers  complaining  of  thirst  to  his  officer ;  look  at 
that  man,  said  he,  pointing  to  me,  he  is  not  thirsty,  I  will 
warrant  it.  I  felt  a  little  elevated  to  be  stiled  a  man. 
While  resting  here,  which  was  not  more  than  twenty 
minutes  or  half  an  hour,  the  Americans  and  British  were 
warmly  engaged  within  sight  of  us.  What  were  the  feel- 
ings of  most  or  all  the  young  soldiers  at  this  time,  I  know 
not,  but  I  know  what  were  mine ; — but  let  mine  or  theirs 
be  what  they  might,  I  saw  a  Lieutenant  who  appeared  to 
have  feelings  not  very  enviable ;  whether  he  was  actuated 
by  fear  or  the  canteen  I  cannot  determine  now ;  I  thought 
it  fear  at  the  time ;  for  he  ran  round  among  the  men  of 
his  company,  snivelling  and  blubbering,  praying  each  one 
if  he  had  aught  against  him,  or  if  he  had  injured  any  one 
that  they  would  forgive  him,  declaring  at  the  same  time 
that  he,  from  his  heart,  forgave  them  if  they  had  ofiended 
him,  and  I  gave  him  full  credit  for  his  assertion ;  for  had 
he  been  at  the  gallows  with  a  halter  about  his  neck,  he 
could  not  have  shown  more  fear  or  penitence.  A  fine  sol- 
dier you  are,  I  thought,  a  fine  officer,  an  exemplary  man 
for  young  soldiers !  I  would  have  then  suffered  anything 
short  of  death  rather  than  have  made  such  an  exhibition 
of  myself ;  but,  as  the  poet  says, 

"  Fear  does  things  so  like  a  witcli 

"  Tis  hard  to  distinguish  which  is  which." 

The  officers  of  the  new  levies  wore  cockades  of  different 
colours  to  distinguish  them  from  the  standing  forces,  as 
they  were  called ;  the  field  officers  wore  red,  the  captains 
white,  and  the  subaltern  officers  green.  While  we  were 
resting  here  our  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Major,  (our  Colo- 
nel not  being  with  us,)  took  their  cockades  from  their 
hats;  being  asked  the  reason,  the  Lieutenant-Colonel 


510 


DOCUMENTS. 


replied  that  he  was  willing  to  risk  his  life  in  the  cause  of 
his  country,  but  was  unwilling  to  stand  a  particular  mark 
for  the  enemy  to  fire  at.  He  was  a  fine  officer  and  a  brave 
soldier. 

We  were  soon  called  upon  to  fall  in  and  proceed.  We 
had  not  gone  far,  about  half  a  mile,  when  I  heard  one  in 
the  rear  ask  another  where  his  musket  was;  I  looked 
around  and  saw  one  of  the  soldiers  stemming  off  without 
his  gun,  having  left  it  where  we  last  halted ;  he  was  in- 
specting his  side  as  if  undetermined  whether  he  had  it  or 
not,  he  then  fell  out  of  the  ranks  to  go  in  search  of  it ;  one 
of  the  company,  who  had  brought  it  on  (wishing  to  see 
how  far  he  would  go  before  he  missed  it)  gave  it  to  him. 
The  reader  will  naturally  enough  conclude  that  he  was  a 
brave  soldier.  Well  he  was  a  brave  fellow  for  all  this 
accident,  and  received  two  severe  wounds,  by  musket 
balls,  while  fearlessly  fighting  for  his  country  at  the  battle 
of  White  Plains.  So  true  is  th^  proverb,  "  A  singed  cat 
may  make  a  good  mouser."   Stranger  things  may  happen. 

We  overtook  a  small  party  of  the  artillery  here  dragging 
a  heavy  twelve  pounder  upon  a  field  carriage,  sinking 
half  way  to  the  naves  in  the  sandy  soil.  They  plead  hard 
for  some  of  us  to  assist  them  to  get  in  their  piece;  our 
officers,  however,  paid  no  attention  to  their  entreaties,  but 
pressed  forward  towards  a  creek,  where  a  large  party  of 
Americans  and  British  were  engaged.  By  the  time  we 
arrived,  the  enemy  had  driven  our  men  into  the  creek, 
or  rather  mill-pond,  (the  tide  being  up,)  where  such  as 
could  swim,  got  across ;  those  that  could  not  swim  and 
could  not  procure  anything  to  buoy  them  up  sunk.  The 
British  having  several  fieldpieces  stationed  by  a  brick 
house,  were  pouring  the  cannister  and  grape  upon  the 
Americans  like  a  shower  of  hail ;  they  would  doubtless 
have  done  them  much  more  damage  than  they  did,  but  for 
the  twelve  pounder  mentioned  above;  the  men  having 


DOCUMENTS.  511 

gotten  it  within  sufficient  distance  to  reach  them,  and 
opening  a  fire  upon  them,  some  obliged  them  to  shift 
their  quarters.  There  was  in  this  action  a  regiment  of 
Maryland  troops,  (volunteers,)  all  young  gentlemen.  When 
they  came  out  of  the  water  and  mud  to  us,  looking  like 
water  rats,  it  was  a  truly  pitiful  sight.  Many  of  them  were 
killed  in  the  pond,  and  more  were  drowned.  Some  of  us 
went  into  the  water  after  the  fall  of  the  tide,  and  took  out 
a  number  of  corpses  and  a  great  many  arms  that  were  sunk 
in  the  pond  and  creek. 

Our  regiment  lay  on  the  ground  we  then  occupied  the 
following  night ;  the  next  day  in  the  afternoon,  we  had  a 
considerable  tight  scratch  with  about  an  equal  number  of 
the  British,  which  began  rather  unexpectedly,  and  a  little 
whimsically.  A  few  of  our  men,  (I  mean  of  our  regiment,) 
went  over  the  creek  upon  business  that  usually  employed 
us,  that  is,  in  search  of  something  to  eat.  There  was  a  field 
of  Indian  corn  at  a  short  distance  from  the  creek,  with 
several  cocks  of  hay  about  half  way  from  the  creek  to  the 
cornfield ;  the  men  purposed  to  get  some  of  the  corn,  or  any- 
thing else  that  was  eatable.  When  they  got  up  with  the  hay- 
cocks they  were  fired  upon  by  about  an  equal  number  of  the 
British,  from  the  cornfield;  our  people  took  to  the  hay ,  and 
the  others  to  the  fence,  where  they  exchanged  a  number  of 
shots  at  each  other,  neither  side  inclining  to  give  back.  A 
number,  say  forty  or  fifty  more  of  our  men,  went  over  and 
drove  the  British  from  the  fence ;  they  were  by  this  time  rein- 
forced in  their  turn,  and  drove  us  back.  The  two  parties 
kept  thus  alternately  reinforcing  until  we  had  most  of  our 
regiment  in  the  action.  After  the  officers  came  to  com- 
mand, the  English  were  soon  routed  from  the  place,  but 
we  dare  not  follow  them  for  fear  of  falling  into  some  snare, 
as  the  whole  British  army  was  in  the  vicinity  of  us ;  I  do 
not  recollect  that  we  had  any  one  killed  outright,  but  we 
had  several  severely  wounded,  and  some,.!  believe,  mortally. 


512  DOCUMENTS. 

Our  regiment  was  alone,  no  other  troops  being  near 
where  we  were  lying;  we  were  upon  a  rising  ground, 
covered  with  a  young  growth  of  trees ;  we  felled  a  fence 
of  trees  around  us  to  prevent  the  approach  of  the  enemies' 
horse.  "We  lay  there  a  day  longer,  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  afternoon  there  fell  a  very  heavy  shower  of  rain  which 
wet  us  all  to  the  skin,  and  much  damaged  our  amunition ; 
about  sunset,  when  the  shower  had  passed  over,  we  were 
ordered  to  parade  and  discharge  our  pieces,  we  attempted 
to  fire  by  platoons  for  improvement,  but  we  made  blunder- 
ing work  of  it ;  it  was  more  like  a  running  fire,  than  firing 
by  divisions :  however,  we  got  our  muskets  as  empty  as 
our  stomachs,  and  with  half  the  trouble,  nor  was  it  half 
the  trouble  to  have  reloaded  them,  for  we  had  wherewithal 
to  do  that,  but  not  so  with  our  stomachs. 

Just  at  dusk,  I,  with  one  or  two  others  of  our  company, 
went  off  to  a  barn,  about  half  a  mile  distant^  with  intent  to 
get  some  straw  to  lodge  upon,  the  ground  and  leaves  being 
drenched  in  water,  and  we  as  wet  as  they ;  it  was  quite 
dark  in  the  barn,  and  while  I  was  fumbling  about  the  floor 
some  one  called  to  me  from  the  top  of  the  mow,  inquiring 
where  I  was  from  ;  I  told  him.  He  asked  me  if  we  had 
not  had  an  engagement  there,  (having  heard  us  discharging 
our  guns,)  I  told  him  we  had  and  a  severe  one  too  ; — he 
asked  if  many  were  killed ; —  I  told  him  that  I  saw  none 
killed,  nor  any  very  badly  wounded.  I  then  heard  several 
others,  as  it  appeared,  speaking  on  the  mow.  Poor  fellows, 
they  had  better  have  been  at  their  posts,  than  skulking  in 
a  barn  on  account  of  a  little  wet,  for  I  have  not  the  least 
doubt  but  that  the  British  had  possession  of  their  mortal 
parts  before  the  noon  of  the  next  day. 

I  could  not  find  any  straw,  but  I  found  some  wheat  in 
the  sheaf,  standing  by  the  side  of  the  floor ;  I  took  a  sheaf 
or  two  and  returned  as  fast  as  I  could  to  the  regiment. 
When  I  arrived  the  men  were  all  paraded  to  march  off  the 


DOCUMENTS. 


513 


ground ;  I  left  my  wheat,  seized  my  musket  and  fell  into 
the  ranks.  We  were  strictly  enjoined  not  to  speak,  or 
even  cough,  while  on  the  march.  All  orders  were  given 
from  officer  to  officer,  and  communicated  to  the  men  in 
whispers.  What  such  secrecy  could  mean  we  could  not 
divine.  We  marched  off  in  the  same  way  that  we  had  come 
on  to  the  island,  forming  various  conjectures  among  our- 
selves as  to  oar  destination.  Some  were  of  opinion  that 
we  were  to  endeavour  to  get  on  the  flank,  or  in  the  rear  of 
the  enemy.  Others,  that  we  were  going  up  the  East  river, 
to  attack  them  in  that  quarter ;  but  none,  it  seems,  knew 
the  right  of  the  matter.  We  marched  on,  however,  until 
we  arrived  at  the  ferry,  where  we  immediately  embarked 
on  board  the  batteaux,  and  were  conveyed  safely  to  ]S"ew- 
York,  where  we  were  landed  about  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  nothing  against  our  inclination. 

The  next  day  the  British  showed  themselves  to  be  in 
possession  of  our  works  upon  the  island,  by  firing  upon 
some  of  our  boats,  passing  to  and  from  Governor's  Island. 
Our  regiment  was  employed,  during  this  day,  in  throwing 
up  a  sort  of  breastwork,  at  their  alarm  post  upon  the 
wharves,  (facing  the  enemy,)  composed  of  spars  and  logs, 
and  filling  the  space  between  with  the  materials  of  which 
the  wharves  were  composed, —  old  broken  junk  bottles, 
flint  stones,  &c.,  which,  had  a  cannon  ball  passed  through, 
would  have  chanced  to  kill  five  men  where  the  ball  would 
one.    But  the  enemy  did  not  see  fit  to  molest  us. 

[A  Narrative  of  some  of  the  Adventures,  Dangers  and  Sufferings  of  a 
Revolutionary  Soldier;  interspersed  with  Anecdotes  of  Incidents  that  oc- 
curred within  his  own  observation.    Written  by  himself. 

"  Long,  sleepless  nights  in  heavy  arms  I've  stood  ; 
"  And  spent  laborious  days  in  dust  and  blood." 

Pope's  Homer. 

Hallowell,  1830,  pp.  iv,  219.] 


65 


514 


DOCUMENTS. 


[IsTo.  51.] 

Narrative  of  the  Participation  of  the  Rhode  Island  Regiment  in 
the  Campaign  on  Long  Island,  hy  Captain  Stephen  Olney. 

"  After  a  tedious  march  overland  to  New- York,  the  Rhode 
Island  regiment  was  stationed  on  Long  Island,  at  Brooklyn 
heights,  half  a  mile  from  the  city,  just  across  the  river. 
Here  they  were  steadily  employed  in  erecting  fortifications 
on  the  island,  destined  to  be  of  no  service.  The  island  was 
often  annoyed  by  small  parties  of  British,  scouting  about 
and  robbing  the  luckless  inhabitants  of  whatever  they  could 
lay  hands  upon.  Captain  Olney  was  one  of  a  party  des- 
patched one  night  to  look  after  some  of  these  fellows,  and 
had  the  good  fortune  to  apprehend  some  seven  or  eight  of 
them.  A  part  of  them  got  intelligence  and  made  off  quick 
enough  to  save  themselves.  Captain  Olney's  prisoners 
proved  to  be  persons  of  ^  mature  age,  good  sense,  and  very 
considerable  information,'  and  he  expressed  his  amazement 
*  that  such  persons  should  doubt  the  justice  of  the  patriot 
cause,  and  still  more  astonishing  that  they  avowed  their 
belief  that  the  states  had  not  the  means  of  supporting  their 
independence.'  In  after  life,  he  says  it  appeared  no 
wonder  they  should  have  doubted  the  latter,  so  perfectly 

unprepared  were  the  undisciplined  forces  of  the  states  

[Soon  after  their  arrival  on  Long  Island  the  army  was 
called  out  to  hear  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
read.]  *  *  * 

"  So  elated  were  the  little  band  on  Long-Island,  that  they 
lay  down  with  light  hearts  that  night,  and  Captain  Olney 
records  that  he  dreamed,  after  coming  off  guard,  that 
night,  and  falling  asleep  in  his  marquee,  that  a  British 
vessel  came  into  the  harbor  of  l^ew  York,  and  struck  her 
sails  in  honor  of  General  Washington.  He  awoke,  he 
says,  and  '  considered  it  was  but  a  dream,  but  beheld  in 


DOCUMENTS. 


515 


about  two  hours  a  British  frigate,  the  first  that  had  ever 
made  the  attempt,  set  sail,  and  ran  by  New  York,  up  to 
Tarytown  Cove,  notwithstanding  the  fire  from  all  our 
batteries  and  received  but  little  damage,'  to  the  great 
mortification  of  the  company  who  found  themselves  much 
deceived  about  the  strength  of  their  batteries.  But  this 
was  nothing  to  what  followed. 

"  Never  perhaps  during  the  whole  war  of  the  revolution, 
was  there  an  American  force  on  any  station,  that  ought 
to  have  watched  with  greater  vigilance  the  movements  of 
the  enemy  than  that  now  encamped  on  Long  Island ;  un- 
fortunately General  Greene,  who  had  been  put  in  com- 
mand there  was  taken  sick,  and  had  to  return  home,  so 
that  the  command  devolved  upon  General  Sullivan,  or 
rather  he  was  succeeded  by  him.  General  Sullivan  was  a 
man  of  undoubted  honor  and  trust,  and  his  character  was 
beyond  the  reach  of  suspicion,  but  it  must  be  evident  to 
every  one  who  reads  that  there  was  a  terrible  misman- 
agement somewhere.  An  army  said  to  be  23,000  strong, 
was  lying  just  without  Sandy  Hook,  and  waiting  only  for 
an  unguarded  moment  to  land  their  forces.  The  frigate 
that  Captain  Olney  mentions,  which  run  by  the  guns  of 
so  many  forts,  ought  to  have  been  a  sufficient  warning  if 
they  had  no  other.  A  small  detachment  was  stationed  on 
Governor's  Island,  and  another  at  Paulus  Hook,  in  front 
of  New  York,  and  upon  the  right  bank  of  the  Hudson. 
The  American  troops  (the  main  body  of  the  army)  were 
in  the  city  commanded  by  General  Washington  in  person, 
General  Putnam  was  on  Long  Island,  his  headquarters  on 
Brooklyn  Heights,  and  Brigadier  General  Stirling,  Lord 
Stirling  as  he  was  generally  called,  and  many  other  officers 
of  inferior  rank,  who  afterwards  distinguished  themselves 
highly  in  the  war  of  independence,  were  there.  *  * 
*  *  But  it  is  useless  to  look  back  or  mourn  over  the 
3,000  Americans  who  fell  or  were  taken  prisoners,  in  that 


516 


DOCUMENTS. 


disastrous  night  and  day,  when  the  British  surprised  the 
forces  at  Brooklyn.  It  is  useless,  as  it  was  then,  to  stop 
to  mourn  over  the  flower  of  Maryland,  the  entire  regiment 
of  whom  consisting  of  brave  and  educated  young  men,  of 
some  of  the  most  patriotic  and  best  families  in  the  province, 
"  which  were  totally  cut  to  pieces  from  the  mistakes  of  a  night. 

"  In  silence  and  security  the  British  made  their  disposi- 
tions of  attack,  and  soon  after  dark,  succeeded  in  effecting 
a  landing  between  the  villages  of  Gravesend  and  New 
Utrecht,  unseen  and  unopposed.  This  place  is  directly 
on  the  west  coast  of  Long  Island,  and  opposite  Staten 
Island,  and  near  the  narrows,  and  was  only  three  miles 
from  the  American  encampment.  General  Sullivan  had 
been  in  New  York  on  the  preceding  day,  but  had  returned 
on  that  evening.  Captain  Olney  states,  bringing  over  3,000 
men;  and  this  3,000  by  his  account  took  their  station 
somewhat  in  advance  of  the  fort.  ***** 

"  Stephen  Olney,  who  was  sent  on  with  a  detachment 
in  advance,  lay  all  night  within  a  mile  of  this  force  of 
23,000  men,  and  knew  not  that  they  were  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. *  *  * 

"  [Olney]  was  with  the  regiment  that  was  ordered  on  pic- 
quet  guard,  and  lay  that  night  preceding  the  battle,  on  their 
arms,  in  a  wood  within  one  mile  of  the  enemy.  '  The 
ground  being  covered  with  wood,  we  were  not  exactly 
apprized  of  our  situation,'  says  he.  Between  him  and 
the  forts,  on  the  right  and  left,  the  ground  was  occu- 
pied by  Lord  Stirling.  It  was  not  until  daylight  that 
this  division  was  attacked,  and  the  first  they  knew,  firing 
commenced  simultaneously  in  their  front  and  rear.  The 
firing  at  first  was  from  left  to  right.  'We  perceived,' 
he  says  *  we  were  surrounded,  but  as  yet  saw  no 
enemy;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Cornell  (I  believe  Colonel 
Hitchcock  was  not  present)  ordered  Capt.  Tew's  platoon, 
to  which  I  belonged,  to  move  in  front,  to  protect  our 


DOCUMENTS. 


517 


sentries,  and  marched  the  regiment  towards  our  forts 
where  the  firing  continued.  When  they  came  in  sight  of 
the  enemy,  they  were  necessitated  to  fight  or  run  their  way 
through.'  The  latter  it  seems  was  decided  on,  and  these 
brave  fellows,  with  some  killed  and  others  wounded, 
gallantly  forced  their  way  through  and  gained  the  fort  of 
Gen.  Putnam.  'Many  who  hid  in  the  woods  came 
into  camp  after  night,'  but  to  return  to  Capt.  Tew's  pla-  • 
toon  :  '  he  marched  a  little  distance  in  front,  but  as  the 
firing  continued  in  our  rear,  he  thought  proper  to  detach 
me,  with  about  20  men,  in  front,  to  protect  the  sentries,  and 
he  marched  after,  and  shared  the  fate  of  his  regiment,  the 
fate  of  those  who  fell  on  the  sword  of  the  enemy.  I 
marched  forward,  and  found  the  enemy  firing  their  field 
pieces,  and  some  small  arms  into  the  woods,  where  our 
sentries  were  placed,  but  the  balls  seemed  to  make  the 
most  havoc  in  the  tops  of  the  trees.  I  placed  my  men 
behind  the  trees,  to  be  in  readiness,  if  the  enemy  advanced, 
believing  we  were  too  far  off'  for  small  arms,  but  my  men 
thought  they  could  kill,  and  kept  up  a  deliberate  fire. 

" '  We  fiad  been  thus  situated  about  half  an  hour,  when 
the  firing  ceased  in  the  rear,  and  I  discovered  a  party  of 
the  enemy  coming  towards  us  in  that  direction ;  I  formed 
my  men,  and  marched  off"  in  very  quick  time  towards  our 
home,  (fort,)  believing  the  enemy  were  between  us  and 
the  forts.  I  cautioned  my  men  not  to  hurry,  as  the  greatest 
exertion  would  be  necessary  at  the  end  of  the  race; -in 
about  two  miles,  we  came  out  of  the  woods  into  a  field 
beside  the  road  which  led  by  a  school  house,  by  which  we 
must  pass  to  get  over  the  mill-dam  to  our  fort;  at  this 
place  Lieutenant  Thomas  Hughes  joined  me  with  a  small 
party ;  on  getting  over  the  fence  into  the  road,  I  saw  the 
enemy  as  near  the  school  house  as  we  were,  drew  up  in  a 
line  ever  so  long,  deliberately  viewing  our  works ;  I  told 
my  Sergeant  Pollin  to  fix  his  bayonet,  as  we  must  go 


518 


DOCUMENTS. 


through  here,  or  die.  At  this  instant,  the  enemy  saw  us, 
and  ran  ahead,  and  fired,  and  more  ran  before  them  and 
fired  to  prevent  our  passage.  ^Nevertheless,  I  made  out  to 
get  nearly  all  my  men  past  the  school  house,  and  part  of 
Hughes's ;  after  passing  the  enemy,  about  one  hundred 
yards,  they  had  huddled  together  in  the  road.  I  ordered 
my  men  to  face  about,  and  give  them  one  well-directed 
•  fire,  which  I  saw  from  the  staggering,  had  taken  good 
effect.'  They  then  continued  this  running  fight  to  Flat- 
bush,  and  finally  got  into  the  fort  in  safety.  '  I  remark,' 
Captain  Olney  continues,  'about  2,400  were  taken  pri- 
soners, and  500  killed  and  wounded,'  making  it  one  hun- 
dred less  then  the  official  account  of  the  battle  states. 

'  At  the  time,  I  did  not,'  he  says,  '  pretend  to  know  or 
examine  the  generalship  of  posting  Sullivan's  and  Ster- 
ling's forces,  as  they  were,  leaving  the  forts  but  poorly 
manned  with  sick  and  invalids.  It  must  be  on  the  sup- 
position that  the  enemy  would  come  on  the  direct  road, 
and  if  our  troops  were  overpowered,  they  might  retreat  to 
and  defend  the  fort.    But  the  enemy  took  a  circuitous 

route,  and  where  it  was  said  Colonel    (Hitchcock 

probably)  had  neglected  to  guard,  and  arrived  in  our  rear 
without  notice.  Had  it  been  left  to  the  British  Generals  to 
make  a  disposition  of  our  troops,  it  is  a  chance  if  they 
would  have  made  it  more  advantageous  to  themselves,  and 
but  from  their  tardiness  they  might  have  taken  our  main 
fort.  All  that  seemed  to  prevent  it  was  a  scarecrow  row 
of  palisades  fi'om  the  fort  to  low  water  in  the  cove,  which 
Major  Box  had  ordered  set  up  that  morning.  After  we 
got  into  our  fort,  hungry,  tired  and  sleepy,  to  augment 
our  distress,  there  came  on  a  dreadful  heavy  storm,  with 
thunder  and  lightning,  and  the  rain  fell  in  such  torrents 
that  the  water  was  soon  ancle  deep  in  the  fort.  Yet  with 
all  these  inconveniences,  and  a  powerful  enemy  just  without 
musket  shot,  our  men  could  not  be  kept  awake.  They 


DOCUMENTS. 


519 


would  sit  down  and  fall  asleep,  although  Lieut.  Cornell,  a 
faithful  and  vigilant  officer,  whom  they  used  to  nickname 
*  Old  Snarl,'  wa&  threatening  to  make  daylight  shine 
through  them  all  the  time.' 

"Thus  ended  the  melancholy  tragedy  of  the  battle  of 
Long  Island ;  through  all  its  beautiful  valleys  from  Bed- 
ford to  Jamaica,  the  turf  was  strewed  with  the  dead  and 
the  dying;  imagination  paints  the  scene,  redolent  of 
horrors. 

*       *       *  * 

"  We  had  to  take  our  baggage,  camp  equipage,  &c.,  on 
our  shoulders,'  says  Captain  Olney,  '  and  carry  them  to 
the  boats,'  and  tedious  indeed  was  the  operation,  through 
mud  and  mire,  and  not  a  ray  of  light  visible,  for  this  in- 
dulgence would  at  once  have  betrayed  them,  and  through 
a  fog  so  intense,  you  might  almost  grasp  it.  The  Captain 
and  his  company  were  soon,  however,  in  more  comfortable 
quarters,  and  where  they  could  venture  to  breathe  freely, 
though  not  eating  the  bread  of  idleness :  a  great  operation 
was  yet  to  be  performed;  that  was  to  remove  the  forces 
on  Governor's  Island,  and  get  them  to  the  same  place  of 
safety.  Two  regiments  occupied  that  Island,  and  with 
abundance  of  munitions  of  war,  and  a  numerous  artillery. 
The  Americans  had  fortified  it  to  defend  the  east  river, 
but  it  could  not  be  expected  to  be  of  any  avail  after  the 
loss  of  Long-Island ;  the  bbject  was  effected,  and  the  whole 
safely  removed  to  Kew  York." 

[Life  of  Olney,  by  Mrs.  Williams.] 


520 


DOCUMENTS. 


[  No.  52.  ] 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  a  Marylander,  dated, 

New  York,  August  30,  1776. 
I  have  just  time  to  give  you  a  short  account  of  our  late 
engagement  at  Long-Island.  On  Tuesday  we  received  in- 
telligence that  the  enemy  had  landed  their  troops  about 
five  miles  below  our  lines ;  in  consequence  of  which,  Gene- 
ral Stirling  was  ordered  to  march  to  the  right  and  General 
Parsons  to  the  left,  with  the  Brigades  under  their  com- 
mands, to  take  possession  of  some  rising  ground,  in  order 
to  flank  the  enemy  and  retard  the  march  until  a  sufficient 
reinforcement  should  be  sent  from  this  place  to  man  the 
lines. 

We  began  our  march  to  the  right,  at  three  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  with  about  thirteen  hundred  men,  and  about 
sunrise,  on  our  near  approach  to  the  ground,  discovered 
the  enemy  making  up  to  it,  and  in  a  few  minutes  our 
advanced  parties  began  the  attack;  we  immediately  ad- 
vanced, and  took  possession  of  the  ground  and  formed  the 
line  of  battle,  when  our  parties  retreated  to  the  main  body 
and  formed  in  line  with  us.  In  the  meantime  they  began 
a  warm  fire  with  their  Artillery  and  Light  Infantry,  from 
their  left,  while  the  main  body  was  forming  in  columns  to 
attack  us  in  front.  Our  men  behaved  well,  and  maintained 
their  ground,  until  ten  o'clock,  when  the  enemy  retreated 
about  two  hundred  yards  and  halted,  and  the  firing  on 
each  side  ceased,  at  which  time  we  heard  Generals  Sullivan 
and  Parsons  engaged  on  our  left.  About  eleven  an  ex- 
press came  to  his  Lordship,  on  which  one  battalion  of 
Riflemen  was  immediately  dispatched  to  their  assistance, 
which  left  us  with  no  more  than  nine  hundred  and  fifty 
men.    We  soon  heard  the  fire  continue  round  on  our  left, 


DOCUMENTS. 


521 


and  in  a  short  time  discovered  part  of  the  enemy  in  our 
rear,  going  on  to  our  lines,  in  order  to  cut  off  the  commu- 
nication between  us.  Being  thus  surrounded,  and  no 
probability  of  reinforcement,  his  Lordship  ordered  me  to 
retreat  with  the  remaining  part  of  our  men,  and  force  our 
way  through  to  our  camp.  We  soon  fell  in  with  a  party 
of  the  enemy,  who  clubbed  their  fire  locks,  and  waved 
their  hats  to  us,  as  if  they  they  meant  to  surrender  as  pri- 
soners; but  on  our  advancing  within  sixty  yards,  they 
presented  their  pieces  and  fired,  which  we  returned  with 
so  much  warmth  that  they  soon  quitted  their  post  and 
retired  to  a  large  body  that  was  lying  in  ambuscade. 
During  this  interval,  the  main  part  of  our  force  retreated 
from  the  left  through  a  marsh,  with  twenty-three  prisoners, 
and  got  in  safe,  with  the  loss  of  one  man  killed  and  three 
drowned  in  crossing  the  creek.  We  were  then  left  with 
only  five  companies  of  our  battalion,  when  the  enemy 
returned,  and  after  a  warm  and  close  engagement  for  near 
ten  minutes,  our  little  line  became  so  disordered  we  were 
under  the  necessity  of  retreating  to  a  piece  of  woods  on 
our  right,  where  we  formed  and  made  a  second  attack, 
but  being  overpowered  with  numbers,  and  surrounded  on 
all  sides,  by  at  least  twenty  thousand  men,  we  were  drove 
with  much  precipitation  and  confusion.  General  Stirling 
on  this  retreat  was  missing,  whose  brave  example  had 
encouraged  and  animated  our  young  soldiers  with  almost 
invincible  resolution. 

The  impractibility  of  forcing  through  such  a  formidable 
body  of  troops,  rendered  it  the  height  of  rashness  and 
imprudence  to  risk  the  lives  of  our  remaining  party  in  a 
third  attempt,  and  it  became  necessary  for  us  to  endeavor 
to  effect  our  escape  in  the  best  manner  we  possibly  could. 
A  party  immediately  retreated  to  th*e  right  through  the 
woods,  and  Captain  Ford  and  myself,  with  twenty  others, 
to  the  left,  through  a  marsh ;  nine  only  of  whom  got  safe 
66 


522 


DOCUMENTS. 


in.  The  principal  loss  sustained  in  our  battalion,  fell  on 
Captains  Veazey,  Adams,  Lucas,  Ford,  and  Bowie's  com- 
panies. The  killed,  wounded,  and  missing  amount  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty-nine ;  our  whole  loss  that  day  supposed 
to  be  near  one  thousand,  chief  part  of  whom  are  prisoners, 
among  whom  are  Generals  Sullivan  and  Stirling.  The 
above  is  as  circumstantial  an  account  as  the  hurry  and 
want  of  time  will  admit  of. 

A  list  of  the  killed  and  missing  in  the  Maryland  Bat- 
•  talion  :  Captain  Veazey  killed ;  Lieutenant  Butler,  said  to  be 
killed;  Ensign  Femandes,  Lieutenant  Dent,  Captain  Bowie, 
missing ;  Lieutenant  Sterret,  Goursey,  and  Wright,  Ensign 
Eidge,  thirteen  Sergeants,  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-five 
privates. 

{^American  Archives,  vol.  i,  5tli  Series,  fol.  1232.] 


[No.  53.] 

Extract  from  a  Letter  from  New- York,  dated, 

Friday  Morning,  August  30,  1776. 

On  Monday  we  were  ordered  here,  and  next  morning 
were  sent  over  to  Long-Island,  where  our  battalion  occu- 
pied the  lines  opposite  the  left  of  the  enemy ;  the  works 
we  had  were  very  weak,  and  but  few  cannon  to  defend 
them.  The  General  ofiicers  held  a  Council  yesterday 
afternoon,  and  thought  it  necessary  to  abandon  the  Island, 
for  fear  of  the  men-of-war  getting  into  the  East  River,  and 
cutting  oflF  the  communication  with  this  place,  which  they 
would  have  done  the  first  fair  wind  that  served.  Our 
battalion,  with  the  other  Pennsylvania  troops  and  the  Mary- 
land Regiment,  were  ordered  to  cover  the  retreat  of  our 


DOCUMENTS. 


523 


Army,  which  must  have  consisted  of  ten  thousand  men. 
Our  Army  began  to  embark  in  boats  about  ten  o'clock, 
and  continued  till  daylight.  We  received  orders  to  quit 
our  station  about  two  o'clock  this  morning,  and  had  made 
our  retreat  almost  to  the  ferry,  when  General  Washington 
ordered  us  back  to  that  part  of  the  lines  we  were  first  at, 
which  was  reckoned  to  be  the  most  dangerous  post.  We 
got  back  undiscovered  by  the  enemy,  and  continued  there 
until  daylight.  Providentially  for  us,  a  great  fog  arose, 
which  prevented  the  enemy  from  seeing  our  retreat  from 
their  works,  which  was  not  more  than  musket  shot  from 
us.  Had  we  been  discovered,  we  must  have  been  un- 
avoidably cut  off,  as  we  were  on  a  neck  of  land  which 
could  have  been  taken  possession  of  by  them  before  we  could 
have  got  out.  We  have  got  all  our  regiment  over  safe,  except 
our  sentinels,  which  we  were  obliged  to  leave ;  but  gave 
them  notice  to  retreat  in  time ;  therefore  expect  they  will 
all  get  safe  over.  The  first  fair  wind,  it  is  expected  the 
men-of-war  will  come  up,  and  bombard  the  town,  and 
from  the  heights  on  Long-Island  it  may  easily  be  'done. 
It  is  the  general  opinion  we  cannot  be  able  to  keep  it; 
therefore  expect  we  shall  be  obliged  to  retreat  to  Mount 
Washington  and  King's  Bridge.  Since  I  have  been  on 
Long-Island,  I  have  had  no  sleep,  nor  anything  to  eat  but 
what  I  plundered ;  therefore  travelled  very  light  when  we 
were  obliged  to  scamper  off*  this  morning.  By  a  flag 
received  yesterday  from  the  enemy,  we  are  informed  Lord 
Stirling  and  General  Sullivan  were  made  prisoners. 

[Am&rican  ArcMms,  vol.  i,  Sth  series,  folio  1233.] 


524 


DOCUMENTS. 


[  m,  54.  ] 

Extract  of  a  Letter,  dated, 

August  28,  1776. 

We  yesterday  had  a  severe  engagement  with  the  enemy 
on  Long-Island ;  they  came  through  a  wood  where  we  were 
posted,  in  order  to  come  to  our  lines ;  they  did  make  an 
attempt  to  force  them,  but  were  repulsed ;  they  gained  a 
little  ground,  but  at  as  great  a  price  almost  as  they  did 
Bunker's  Hill.  We  have  missing  on  our  part  General 
Sullivan,  and  about  three  hundred  others.  The  Island  is 
so  extensive,  and  the  enemy  having  got  round  our  people, 
that  many  of  our  men  made  their  way  through  into  the 
country,  and  are  constantly  coming  in ;  General  Parsons 
was  missing  in  the  same  way,  but  came  in  this  morning. 

From  our  people  who  have  come  in,  we  learn  the  enemy 
have  lost  great  numbers ;  a  deserter  informs  near  six 
hundi'ed. 

[Force,  Archives,  vol.  i,  Sth  Series,  fol.  1194. J 


[  m.  55.  ] 

Extract  of  a  Letter  from  New  York,  dated, 

August  28,  1776. 
Yesterday  morning  the  enemy  stole  through  the  woods 
I  mentioned  to  you  in  my  last  our  men  were  posted  in ; 
it  is  so  extensive  we  could  not  sufficiently  guard  it.  They 
have  gained  a  little  ground,  but  have  bought  it  almost  as 


DOCUMENTS. 


525 


dear  as  they  did  Bunker's  Hill.  Our  Army,  at  least  the 
small  part  that  was  engaged,  behaved  most  manfully; 
they,  as  it  were,  surrounded  our  people,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  fight  our  way  through  them.  Colonel  Small- 
wood's  battalion  has  gained  immortal  honour.  He  was  not 
with  it  himself ;  Lord  Stirling  commanded  it,  and  the  Dela- 
ware battalion,  as  part  of  his  brigade.  They  fought  the 
enemy,  treble  in  number,  in  open  field,  several  hours,  'till 
at  last,  surrounded  on  the  side  of  a  small  creek,  they  were 
obliged  to  make  the  best  retreat  they  could.  Most  of 
them  swam  the  creek.  Lord  Stirling,  at  the  head  of  three 
companies,  attempted  to  force  his  way  through  the  enemy. 
Captains -Boz^;ie,Veazey,  Lieutenants  >S^^err6^,  Wright,  Course]/, 
Dent,  Butler,  Praul,  Ensigns  Furnandes,  Courts,  are  missing, 
and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  of  Smallwood's  bat- 
talion. The  officers  gave  Lord  Stirling  the  character  of  as 
brave  a  man  as  ever  lived.  We  are  very  sorry  for  his  loss, 
and  are  fearful  that  he  is  killed,  from  the  danger  he  was 
seen  in.  General  Sidlivan  is  likewise  missing,  and  many 
other  officers,  with  about  three  hundred  men;  however, 
we  are  still  in  hopes  of  seeing  many  of  them,  as  they  are 
constantly  coming  in,  having  got  round  through  the 
country;  General  Parsons  has  come  in  in  the  same  way, 
after  being  out  all  this  morning.  I  assure  you  there  has 
been  severe  work  on  both  sides.  Our  people  who  have 
come  in  say  the  fields  and  woods  are  covered  with  dead 
bodies ;  and  a  deserter  informs  the  enemy  have  lost  near 
six  hundred  men.  I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  you 
among  the  slain  is  General  Grant,  lately  Colonel  Grant, 
of  the  House  of  Commons,  who  gave  the  Americans  the 
character  of  Cowards.  General  Parsons  saw  his  body ; 
but  the  soldier  who  killed  him  and  got  his  papers,  &c.,  is 
missing.  The  enemy  once  attempted  to  force  our  lines, 
but  were  repulsed,  and  are  now  encamped  about  a  mile 
from  us. 


526 


DOCUMENTS. 


Colonel  Smallwood  and  Colonel  Ware  were  necessarily 
detained  here  on  a  Court-Martial  for  the  trial  of  Colonel 
ZedtwiiZy  who  is  sentenced  to  be  broke,  and  rendered  inca- 
pable of  ever  holding  any  military  office. 

[Force,  Archives,  vol.  i,  5tli  Series,  fol.  1194.] 


[  No.  55.  ] 

Narrative  of  Incidents  of  the  Battle  hy  a  Soldier. 
N,  York  J  Sept,  1,  '76.  Last  Monday  we  went  over  to 
L.  I.,  and  about  midnight  were  alarmed  by  some  of  our 
scouting  parties,  who  advised  us  that  the  enemy  were 
coming  up  the  Island  with  several  field-pieces.  Upon 
which  near  3,000  men  were  ordered  out,  chiefly  of  .Mary- 
landers  and  Pennsylvanians,  to  attack  them  on  their  march. 
About  sunrise  we  came  up  with  a  large  body  of  them. 
The  Delaware  and  Maryland  battalion  made  one  part. 
Col.  Atlee,  with  his  battalion,  a  little  before  us,  had  taken 
post  in  an  orchard,  and  behind  a  barn ;  and  on  the  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy,  he  gave  them  a  very  severe  fire  for 
a  considerable  time,  till  they  were  near  surrounding  him, 
when  he  retreated  to  the  woods.  The  enemy  then  ad- 
vanced to  us,  when  Lord  Stirling,  who  commanded,  im- 
mediately drew  up  in  a  line,  and  offered  them  battle  in 
the  true  English  taste.  The  British  then  advanced  within 
about  300  yards  of  us,  and  began  a  very  heavy  fire  from 
their  cannon  and  mortars:  for  both  the  balls  and  shells 
flew  very  fast,  now  and  then  taking  off*  a  head.  Our  men 
stood  it  amazingly  well,  not  one  even  showed  a  disposition 
to  shrink.  Our  orders  were  not  to  fire  until  the  enemy 
came  within  50  yards  of  us ;  but  when  they  perceived  we 
stood  their  fire  so  cooly  and  resolutely,  they  declined 


DOCUMENTS. 


527 


coming  any  nearer,  though  treble  our  number.  In  this 
situation  we  stood  from  sunrise  till  12  o'clock,  the  enemy 
firing  on  us  the  chief  part  of  the  time,  when  the  main 
body  of  British,  by  a  route  we  never  dreamed  of,  had  sur- 
rounded us,  and  driven  within  the  lines,  or  scattered  in 
the  woods,  all  our  men  except  the  Delaware  and  Maryland 
battalions,  who  were  standing  at  bay  with  double  their 
number.  Thus  situated,  we  were  ordered  to  attempt  a 
retreat  by  fighting  our  way  through  the  enemy,  who  had 
posted  themselves  and  nearly  filled  every  road  and  field 
between  us  and  our  lines.  We  had  not  retreated  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile,  before  we  were  fired  on  by  an  advanced 
party  of  the  enemy,  and  those  in  the  rear  playing  their 
artillery  on  us.  Our  men  fought  with  more  than 
Roman  valor.  We  forced  the  advanced  partj  which  first 
attacked  us  to  give  way,  through  which  opening  we  got  a 
passage  down  the  side  of  a  marsh,  seldom  before  waded 
over,  which  we  passed,  and  then  swam  a  narrow  river, 
all  the  while  exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire.  Capts.  Ramsey's 
and  Scott's  companies  were  in  front  and  sustained  the  first 
fire  of  the  enemy,  when  hardly  a  man  fell.  The  whole  of 
the  right  wing  of  our  battalion  thinking  it  impossible  to 
march  through  the  marsh,  attempted  to  force  their  way 
through  the  woods,  where  they,  almost  to  a  man,  were 
killed  or  taken. 

The  Maryland  battalion  has  lost  259  men,  amongst 
whom  are  12  officers:  Caps.  Yeasy  and  Bowey,  Lts. 
Butler,  Sterrit,  Dent,  Coursey,  Muse,  Prawl;  Ensigns 
Corts,  Fernandes.  Who  killed  and  who  prisoners  is  yet 
uncertain.  Cols.  Atlee,  Miles  and  Piper,  are  also  taken. 
1,000  men  missing  in  all.  We  took  few  prisoners.  Many 
officers  lost  their  swords  and  guns.  Most  of  our  Generals 
on  a  high  hill,^  in  the  lines,  viewed  us  with  their  glasses,  as  we 


^  Ponkiesberg,  at  tlie  junction  of  Court  and  Atlantic  streets. 


528 


DOCUMENTS. 


were  retreating,  and  saw  the  enemy  we  had  to  pass  through, 
though  we  could  not.  Many  thought  we  would  surrender 
in  a  body  without  firing.  When  we  began  the  attack,^ 
Gen.  Washington  wrung  his  hands  and  cried  out  "  Good 
God!  what  brave  fellows  I  must  this  day  lose!"  Major 
Guest  commanded  the  Maryland  battalion,  (the  Col.  and 
Lt.  Col.  being  both  at  York,)  Capts.  Adams  and  Lucas 
were  sick.  The  Major,  Capt.  Ramsey,  and  Lt.  Plunket 
were  foremost  and  within  100  yards  of  the  enemy's 
muzzles,  when  they  were  fired  on  by  the  enemy,  who  were 
chiefly  under  cover  of  an  orchard,  save  a  few  that  showed 
themselves  and  pretended  to  give  up ;  clubbing  their  fire- 
locks till  we  came  within  40  yards,  when  they  immediately 
presented  and  blazed  in  our  faces ;  they  entirely  overshot 
us  and  killed  some  men  away  behind  in  the  rear.  I  had  the 
satisfaction  of  dropping  one  the  first  fire.  I  was  so  near 
I  could  not  miss.  I  discharged  my  rifle  seven  times  that 
day. 

[Onderdonk's  Revolutionary  Incidents,  Suffolk  Co.,  p.  147.] 


[  No.  57.  ] 

Statement  made  by  a  Soldier  engaged  in  the  Battle  with  that  part 
of  the  British  Forces  who  were  disguised,  (Extract  of  a 
Letter  from  Long-Island,  dated,) 

August  28,  1776. 
Yesterday's  occurrences,  no  doubt  will  be  described  to 
you  in  various  ways.    I  embrace  this  leisure  moment  to 
give  as  satisfactory  an  account  as  I  am  able.   A  large  body 
of  the  enemy  that  landed  some  time  since  on  Long-Island, 


^  Doubtless  the  attack  to  cut  through  the  enemy's  lines  when  retreating. 


DOCUMENTS. 


529 


at  the  end  of  a  beautiful  plain,  had  extended  their  troops 
about  six  miles  from  the  place  of  their  first  landing. 
There  were  at  this  time  eleven  regiments  of  our  troops 
posted  in  different  parts  of  the  woods,  between  our  lines 
and  the  enemy,  through  which  they  must  pass  if  they  at- 
tempted anything  against  us. 

Early  in  the  morning  our  scouting  parties  discovered 
a  large  body  of  the  enemy,  both  horse  and  foot,  advancing 
on  the  Jamaica  road  towards  us.  I  was  despatched  to 
General  Futnam  to  inform  him  of  it.  On  my  way  back  I 
discovered,  as  I  thought,  our  battalion  on  a  hill  coming  in, 
dressed  in  hunting-shirts,  and  was  going  on  to  join  them, 
but  was  stopped  by  a  number  of  our  soldiers,  who  told  me 
they  were  the  enemy  in  our  dress ;  on  this  I  prevailed  on 
a  Sergeant  and  two  men  to  halt  and  fire  on  them,  which 
produced  a  shower  of  bullets,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
retire. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  enemy,  with  a  large  body,  pene- 
trated through  the  woods  on  our  right  and  centre,  or  front, 
and  about  nine  o'clock  landed  another  body  on  their  right, 
the  whole  stretching  across  the  fields  and  woods  between 
our  works  and  our  troops,  and  sending  out  parties  accom- 
panied with  Light-Horse,  which  harassed  our  surrounded 
and  surprised  new  troops,  who,  however,  sold  their  lives 
dear.  Our  forces  then  made  towards  our  lines,  but  the 
enemy  had  taken  possession  of  the  ground  before  them  by 
stolen  marches.  Our  men  broke  through  parties  after 
parties,  but  still  found  the  enemy's  thousands  before  them. 
Colonel  Smallwood's,  Ailee's,  and  Haslefs  battalions,  with 
General  Stirling  at  their  head,  had  collected  on  an  emi- 
nence and  made  a  good  stand,  buf  the  enemy  fired  a  field- 
piece  on  them,  and  being  greatly  superior  in  number, 
obliged  them  to  retreat  into  a  marsh,  and  finding  it  out  of 
their  power  to  withstand  about  six  thousand  men,  they 
waded  through  the  mud  and  water  to  a  mill  opposite  to 
67 


580 


DOCUMENTS. 


them.  Their  retreat  was  covered  by  the  Second  Battalion 
which  had  got  into  our  lines.  Colonel  Luiz's  and  the 
New-England  regiments  after  this  made  some  resistance  in 
the  woods,  but  were  obliged  by  superior  numbers  to 
retire. 

Colonel  Miles's  and  Colonel  Broadhead's  battalions,  find- 
themselves  surrounded,  determined  to  fight  and  run  ;  they 
did  so,  and  broke  through  English,  Hessians,  &c.,  and 
dispersed  Horse,  and  at  last  came  in  with  considerable 
loss.  Colonel  Parry  was  early  in  the  day  shot  through 
the  head,  encouraging  his  men.  Eighty  of  our  battalion 
came  in  this  morning,  having  forced  their  way  through 
the  enemy's  rear,  and  came  round  by  way  of  Hell-Gate, 
and  we  expect  more,  who  are  missing,  will  come  in  the 
same  way. 

[Force,  Archives,  vol.  i,  5th  Series,  fol.  1195.] 

[  No.  58.  ] 

Account  of  Washington's  Presence  in  the  Brooklyn  Lines, 
Aug,  27.    {Extract  of  a  Letter,  dated,) 

Head-Quarters,  Long-Island, 

August  28,  1776. 

Yesterday  General  .Washington  and  his  suite  came  over 
to  this  place  upon  receiving  intelligence  that  GeneralSj, 
Howe  and  Clinton  had  landed  with  all  the  troops,  except  a 
few  to  guard  Staten-Island.  Immediately  on  our  arrival 
we  heard  the  noise  of  a  very  smart  engagement  with 
musketry  and  field  pieces ;  it  proved  to  be  Lord  Stirling's 
brigade,  consisting  of  Smallwood's  regiment  from  Maryland, 
the  Delaware  regiment  commanded  by  Haslet,  and  Penn- 
sylvania regiment  commanded  by  Atlee,  besides  some 


DOCUMENTS. 


531 


others,  who  behaved  like  heroes.  They  were  surrounded 
by  the  enemy,  who  received  constant  and  large  reinforce- 
ments, whilst  our  brave  men  could  not  get  the  least  assist- 
ance from  their  friends,  as  there  were  not  men  sufficient 
to  fill  our  lines,  and  we  expected  an  attack  every  minute. 
There  were  several  other  smart  and  pitched  battles  till 
evening,  when  Lord  Stirling's  men  began  to  retreat.  We 
have  about  five  hundred  and  fifty  missing  at  present. 
This  morning  General  Parsons  came  in  with  a  few  men ;  he 
brings  an  account  that  the  enemy  have  lost  five  hundred 
men,  and  a  hat,  with  two  bullet  holes,  marked  Colonel 
Grant,  and  his  watch.  I  wish  it  was  General  Grant,  but 
their  great  officers  don't  like  venturing.  In  the  evening 
the  enemy  had  a  number  of  tents  pitched  about  a  mile 
distance.  This  morning  about  four  o'clock  I  accompanied 
the  General  around  the  works,  and  we  saw  very  large 
encampments;  by  these  appearances,  and  information, 
the  enemy  are  twenty  thousand  strong.  Our  sentries  are 
very  near  theirs,  who  are  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  dis- 
tance. 

[Force,  Archives,  vol.  i,  5th  Series,  fol.  1195.] 
[  ^o.  59.  ] 

Letter  from  Gen.  Washington  tp  Governor  Trumbull,  giving  an 
Account  of  the  Battle  and  Betreai. 

General  Washington  to  Governour  Trumbull. 

New- York,  September  6,  1776. 

Sir  :  I  have  been  honoured  with  your  favour  of  the  31st 
ultimo,  and  am  extremely  obliged  by  the  measures  you 
are  taking,  in  consequence  of  my  reccommendation  letter. 


532 


DOCUMENTS. 


The  exertions  of  Connecticut  upon  this,  as  well  as  upon 
every  other  occasion,  do  them  great  honour,  and  I  hope 
will  be  attended  with  successful  and  happy  consequences. 
In  respect  to  the  mode  of  conduct  to  be  pursued  by  the  troops 
that  go  over  to  the  Island,  I  cannot  lay  down  any  certain 
rule ;  it  must  be  formed  and  governed  by  circumstances, 
and  the  direction  of  those  who  command  them. 

I  should  have  done  myself  the  honour  of  transmitting  to 
you  an  account  of  the  engagement  between  a  detachment 
of  our  troops  and  the  enemy,  on  Long-Island,  on  the  27th, 
and  of  our  retreat  from  thence,  before  now,  had  it  not 
been  for  the  multiplicity  of  business  I  have  been  involved 
in  ever  since ;  and  being  still  engaged,  I  cannot  enter  upon 
a  minute  and  particular  detail  of  the  affair.  I  shall  only 
add,  that  we  lost,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  from 
seven  hundred  to  one  thousand  men.  Among  the  pri- 
soners are  General  Sullivan  and  Lord  Stirling,  The  inclosed 
list  will  show  you  the  names  of  many  of  the  officers  that 
are  prisoners.  The  action  was  chiefly  with  the  troops 
from  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  the  Lower  Counties,  and  Mary- 
land, and  Colonel  Huntington's  regiment;  they  suffered 
greatly,  being  attacked  and  overpowered  by  numbers  of 
the  enemy  greatly  superiour  to  them.  The  enemy's  loss 
we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain,  but  we  have  reason  to 
believe  it  was  considerable.  The  engagement  was  warm, 
and  conducted  with  great  resolution  and  bravery  on  the 
part  of  our  troops.  During  the  engagement,  a  deep 
column  of  the  enemy  descended  from  the  woods,  and 
attempted  an  impression  upon  our  lines,  but  retreated 
immediately  on  the  discharge  of  a  cannon,  and  part  of  the 
musketry  from  the  line  nearest  to  them.  As  the  main 
body  of  the  enemy  had  encamped  not  far  from  our  lines, 
and  as  I  had  reason  to  believe  they  intended  to  force  us 
from  them  by  regular  approaches,  which  the  nature  of  the 
ground  favoured  extremely,  and  at  the  same  time  meant, 


DOCUMENTS.  533 

by  the  ships  of  war,  to  cut  off  the  communication  between 
the  City  and  Island,  and  by  that  means  keep  our  men 
divided,  and  unable  to  oppose  them  anywhere,  by  the 
advice  of  the  General  Officers,  on  the  night  of  the  29th, 
I  withdrew  our  troops  from  thence  without  any  loss  of 
men  and  but  little  baggage. 

I  am,  &c., 

Go.  "Washington. 


[Fo^xe,  Archives,  vol.  ii,  5tli  Series,  fol.  196  ] 


LIST  OF  DOCUMENTS 


Belating  to  the  Progress  of  Revolutionary  Measures 
on  Long  Island. 


1.  Letter  from  Lord  Stirling  to  Col.  Ward,  relating  to  the  Capture 

of  Frank  J ames. 

2.  Gov.  Tryon's  letter  to  Lord  George  Germaine,  guaranteeing  the 

Loyalty  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Long  Island. 

3.  Letters  from  Gen.  Greene  and  Benjamin  Sands,  giving  some 

account  of  the  loyalist  recruits,  and  furnishing  evidence 
against  nineteen  residents  of  Queens  Co. 

4.  Washington's  Instructions  to  Gen.  Putnam  regarding  the  Loyal- 

ists on  Long  Island. 

5.  Benjamin  BirdsalFs  Complaint  to  the  Provincial  Congress  of  its 

neglect  of  him. 

6.  Letter  of  William  Smith,  of  Suffolk  county,  giving  Information 

against  the  Tories  in  his  neighborhood. 

7.  Examination  of  John  Hendrickson,  regarding  the  Conspiracy  of 

the  Tories. 
7^.  Sergeant  Graham's  Plan  of  Attack. 

8.  Relating  to  the  Arrival  of  the  British  Fleet  at  Sandy  Hook. 
8^.  Information  respecting  certain  Tories  at  Jamaica. 

9.  Relating  to  the  imprisonment  of  Loyalists. 

10.  Benjamin  Kissam's  Report  to  Congress  on  driving  off  Stock. 

11.  Letters  of  Jeromus  Remsen  relating  to  the  same  matter. 

12.  Capt.  Lambert  Suy dam's  report  of  Loyalists  taken  Prisoners. 

13.  Roll  of  the  Troops  of  Horse  in  Kings  and  Queens  Counties,  on 

duty  in  driving  off  Stock. 

14.  Depositions  and  Letters  relating  to  the  Loyalists  of  Long  Is- 

land. 

14a.  Address  of  Congratulation,  signed  by  1293  inhabitants  of 
Queens  Co.,  to  Gov.  Tryon  on  his  return  to  New  York,  and 
Tryon's  acknowledgment. 


536 


LIST  OF  DOCUMENTS. 


Documents  relating  to  the  Landing  of  the  British  ^and  of  the  skirmishes 
preceding  the  Battle 

15.  Major  Abner  Benedict's  Account  of  tlie  Tornado  which  preceded 

the  Battle. 

16.  Col.  Samuel  J.  Atlee's  Journal. 

17.  Burning  of  Judge  Lefferts'  House,  and  Account  of  the  skirmish 

at  Flatbush. 

18.  Extracts  from  Letters  of  Ofl&cers  in  Col.  Atlee's  Battalion. 

19.  Washington's  Letter  to  Gen.  Putnam  concerning  Marauding. 

20.  Gi-en.  Sullivan's  Account  of  the  Battle  of  Valley  Grove. 

21.  Accounts  of  the  Landing  of  the  British,  and  of  the  Thunder 

storm  of  August  21. 

22.  Washington's  Announcement  to  Gov.  Trumbull  of  the  Landing 

of  the  British. 

Official  Reports  and  Accounts  of  the  Battle. 

23.  Admiral  Howe's  Report  of  his  Operations. 

24.  Gen.  Howe's  Official  Report. 

25.  Washington's  Letters,  announcing  his  Retreat  from  Long  Is- 

land. 

26.  Col.  Smallwood's  Account  of  the  Battle,  and  Loss  of  the  Mary- 

land Battalion. 

27.  Col.  Haslet's  Account. 

28.  Col.  Harrison's  Letter  to  the  President  of  Congress. 

29.  Lord  Stirling's  Account  of  his  Capture. 

30.  Col.  Reed's  Account  of  the  Retreat. 

31.  Col.  James  Chambers's  Account. 

32.  Account  by  a  British  Officer. 

33.  Letters  from  the  Maryland  Committee  of  Safety. 

34.  Extract  from  the  J ournal  of  Lord  George  Harris. 

35.  Extract  from  the  Journal  of  Sir  George  Collier. 

36.  Extract  from  a  Letter  by  an  Officer  in  the  Maryland  Battalion. 

37.  Return  of  the  Prisoners  taken  by  the  British,  and  of  their  own 

Losses,  August  27,  1776. 

38.  Col.  Troup's  Account  of  the  Treatment  of  Prisoners  by  the  Bri- 

tish. 

Narratives  ly  Historians^  and  Contemporaneous  Accounts. 

40.  Hessian  Account  of  Events  on  Long  Island. 

41.  Account  by  a  British  Historian. 


LIST  OF  DOCUMENTS. 


537 


42.  Stedman's  Account  of  the  Landing  of  the  British  and  of  the 

Engagements. 

43.  Extracts  from  the  Testimony  given  before  a  Committee  of  Par- 

liament by  British  Officers,  and  from  Letters,  Pamphlets,  etc. 

44.  Extract  from  a  Letter  from  Philadelphia. 

45.  Extracts  from  two  Letters  by  Soldiers. 

46.  Extracts  from  President  Stiles'  Diary. 

Narratives  hy  Soldiers  present  in  the  different  Engagements. 

47.  Narrative  by  Maj.  Abraham  Leggett. 

48.  Statement  of  Hezekiah  Mnnsell. 

49.  Recollections  by  an  Eye  Witness. 

50.  Extract  from  the  Narrative  of  James  Sullivan  Martin. 

51.  Narrative  of  the  Participation  of  the  Rhode  Island  Regiment, 

by  Stephen  Olney. 

52.  Account  by  a  Marylander. 

53.  Extract  from  a  Letter  from  New  York. 

54.  Extract  from  a  Letter. 

55.  Extract  from  a  Letter  from  New  York. 

56.  Narrative  of  the  Battle  by  a  Soldier. 

57.  Letter  by  a  Soldier  in  which  it  is  stated  that  part  of  the 

British  forces  were  disguised. 

58.  Letter  referring  to  "Washington's  Presence  in  the  Lines. 

59.  Letter  from  Washington  to  Gov.  Trumbull  giving  an  Account 

of  the  Battle  and  Retreat.  * 


68 


INDEX 


Address  of  congratulation  to 
Gov.  Tryon,  and  Ms  reply,  346. 

Adgate,  Mathew,  84. 

American  Army,  see  Continental 
Army. 

Arden,  Charles,  Dr.,  95,  329,  334. 
Atlee,  Samuel  J.,  Col.,  his  Journal, 
352. 

BaCHE,  Theophilact,  335. 

Bailey,  Eph.,  Capt.,  70. 

Bancroft,  George,  reference  to  his 

history  (note),  250. 
Battle  of  Long  Island,  see  Docu- 
ments. 
Beagle,  Joseph,  330. 
Bedel,  Jeremiah,  93. 
Bedford,  houses  burned  at,  361. 
Bedle,  Joseph,  93. 
Belt,  William,  335. 
Benedict,  Abner,  Major,  account  of 

the  battle,  and  of  the  tornado  which 

preceded  it,  348. 
Bennet,  Wynant,  237. 
Benson,  Egbert,  endeavors  to  pacify 

the  royalists  at  Jamaica,  25,  46 ;. 

letter  concerning  the  quakers,  346. 
Bergen,  Garret,  incident  related  by, 

(note),  238. 
Bethune,  George,  arrested,  23,  334. 
Betts,  Azor,  arrested,  57  ;  Thomas, 

340. 


Birdsall,  Benjamin,  Capt.,  his  cha- 
racter, 65 ;  organizes  an  expedi- 
tion, 89  ;  promoted,  92  ;  his  further 
career,  101-3  ;  his  letter  of  com- 
plaint to  Congress,  322. 

Birthplace  of  the  revolution  on  Long 
Island,  2. 

Blackwell,  Jacob,  Col.,  7,  9  ;  his  cha- 
racter, 10. 
Blanco,  John,  340. 
Bloom,  Jacob,  339. 
Bluckie's  barracks,  237. 
Boerum,  Fort,  141. 
Boerum,  Wilham,  340 ;  Isaac,  340. 
Box,  Fort,  141. 

Brevoort,  James  Carson,  reference  to 
(note),  222. 

British  army,  expected  on  Long 
Island,  82 ;  fleets  arrive,  125,  129  ; 
Howe,  Gen.,  announces  the  arrival 
at  Jamaica,  332 ;  accounts  of  the 
landing,  see  Documents ;  number 
of  troops,  161  ;  loss  in  the  battles, 
204,  416. 

Brooklyn,  town  records,  how  lost,  13 ; 
town  meeting,  13, 14 ;  overawed  by 
New  York  city,  20 ;  troops  billeted 
on  residents  of,  44 ;  conspiracy  at, 
94,  et  seq.  ;  plan  of  attack  on,  99, 
330  ;  battle  of,  152  ;  siege  of,  206 ; 
council  of  war  at,  retreat  decided 
upon,  267. 

Brower,  Adolphus,  340;  Jeremiah, 
340. 


540 


INDEX. 


Bull,  Abraham,  86,  99. 
Burtis,  John,  320. 

Bushwick,  town  records,  how  lost, 
12, 


CaARY,  Lt.  Col.,  92. 
Callender,  John,  account  of,  195. 
Cantine,  Peter,  346.  * 
Garmon,  John,  93. 
Carpenter,  Increase,  2,  174. 
Casper,  Andrew,  340  ;  James,  340. 
Chambers,  James*  Lt.  Col.,  account 

of  the  battle  of  27th  August,  399. 
Characteristics  of  the  early  settlers 

on  Long  Island,  1. 
Church  established,  the,  on  L.  I.,  74. 
Clowes,  Justice,  329  ;  Timothy,  330. 
Cogswell,  James,  93. 
Colden,  Cadwallader,  account  of,  15  ; 

distrusted  by  the  wliigs,  21,  56 ; 

his  character  and  writings,  76. 
Colden,  David,  329 ;  letter  to  Tryon, 

346. 

Colgan,  Flemming,  334;  Thomas, 
334. 

Collier,  George,  Sir,  extracts  from 

the  paper  of,  407. 
Committees  of  Safety,  organized,  21. 
Connecticut  soldiers,  cowardice  of, 

229,  254. 

Conspiracy  on  Long  Island,  94-101. 

Contemporaneous  accounts  of  the 
battle,  see  Documents. 

Continental  army  on  Long  Island,  its 
force,  145,  162  ;  its  losses  in  battle, 
204;  subordinate  officers,  how  some- 
times appointed,  260. 

Cornell,  Thomas,  328,  329. 

Cornwallis,  Lord,  153. 

Cornwell,  Caleb,  320. 

Corsa,  Isaac,  Col.,  28. 

Council  of  War  in  Brooklyn  after  the 
battle,  267. 

Cowenhoven,  Nicholas,  15,  111,  113. 


DeBEVORT,  Charles,  340. 

Declaration  of  Independence,  first  de- 
clared on  Long  Island,  29. 

Defenses  of  New  York  harbor,  125. 

Defiance,  Fort,  141. 

DeHeister,  General,  becomes  impa- 
tient on  the  passage  to  America, 
130 ;  his  treatment  of  a  prisoner, 
192. 

DeLancey,  Oliver,  Capt.,  304,  422. 
Delaware  battalion,  179,  387. 
Demilt,  Obadiah,  320. 
Denton,  Isaac,  328 ;  Joseph,  93. 
Depeyster,  James,  334,  335  ;  Joseph, 
335. 

Depositions  and  letters  relating  to 

the  loyalists  of  L.  I.,  341. 
Disarming  of  royalists,  36,  37. 
Documents,  313-533  ;  list  of,  535. 
Dongan  oak,  166.  . 
Drafting,  87-90. 

Driving  off  stock,  letters  relating  to, 
336,  338. 

Dunbar,  John,  334 ;  WilUam,  334. 
Durland,  Henry,  93. 
Duryee,  Roeloff,  334. 
Duyckinck,  Christopher,  his  charac- 
ter and  acts,  53-8. 

Early  settlers  on  Long  Island,  1. 
Eelking,  Max  von,  extracts  from  his 

history,  423. 
Ellsworth,  WilHam,  340. 
Enrollment  of  militia,  69,  73. 
Etherington,  Samuel,  340. 
Everit,    Thomas,    340:  William, 

340. 

Fanning.  Edmund,  his  character 

and  acts,  80,  316. 
Few,  James,  80. 

First  resistance  to  the  British  on 
Long  Island,  127. 


INDEX. 


541 


Flatbusli,  convention  at,  15 ;  battle 
of,  152 ;  burning  of  houses  at, 
366. 

Fleet,  Jolin,  93  ;  Thomas,  93. 

Flushing,  committee  of  safety,  7. 

FolUot,  George,  335. 

Forbes,  Gilbert,  99. 

Fort  Hamilton,  first  resistance  in  New- 
York  at,  127. 

Fortifications  on  Long  Island,  138, 
139. 

Fort  Neck,  93. 

Foster,  Jacob,  330. 

French,  Joseph,  19  ;  Justice,  334. 

Furman,  Gabriel,  Judge,  quoted, 
211. 

GaLBREATH,  Robert,  340. 
Gale,  Mr.,  46. 
Germaine,  Lord,  80,  314. 
Gibbons,  Mary,  101. 
Governor's  island,  144. 
Gowanus,  battle  of,  152,  174. 
Graham,  Sergeant,  plan  of  attack, 
99,  330. 

Grant,  General,  his  boast  in  parlia- 
ment, 173. 

Graydon's  memoirs,  quoted,  231. 

Great  Neck,  Committee  of  Safety, 
51. 

Greene,  Fort,  139. 

Greene,  Nathanael,  Gen.,  84, 147  ;  his 
illness,  161 ;  his  account  of  tory 
prisoners,  316. 

Hamilton,  Archibald,  95. 

Hancock,  John,  8. 

Hand,  Col.,  narrative  by,  280. 

Harris,  George,  Lord,  extract  from 
his  journal,  405. 

Harrison,  Robert  H.,  letter  to  Con- 
gress, 393. 

Haslet,  Col.,  letter  to  Thomas  Rod- 
ney, 391. 
% 


Heard,  Col.,  32,  41,  329. 

Hempstead,  loyal  to  the  crown,  4, 17, 
19, 26, 37 ;  communication  with  the 
British,  83. 

Hendrickson,  John,  84  ;  his  examina- 
tion, 327. 

Hessian  soldiers,  arrival,  130 ;  feared 
by  the  inhabitants,  152  ;  their  dis- 
cipline, 187;  their  cruelty,  188, 
189  ;  Hessian  account  of  the  opera- 
tions on  Long  Island,  423. 

Hewlett,  Richard,  Capt.,  21,  26,  his 
character,  27,  28;  gathers  arms 
and  ammunition,  31  ;  efforts  for 
his  capture,  48  ;  engaged  in  the 
conspiracy,  85,  87,  96,  328. 

Hickey,  Thomas,  his  plot,  96-100. 

Hicks,  Capt.,  329  ;  John,  340  ;  Tiom- 
as,  19. 

Hinchman,  Robert,  302,  334. 
Hollander  and  Puritan  compared,  1  ; 

their  indifference,  17. 
Horsemanden,   Daniel,  Judge,  his 

character,  and  history  of  the  negro 

plot,  77,  78. 
Hotham,  Commodore,  333. 
Howard,  William,  narrative  of,  160. 
Howe,  Gen.,  his  character,  134,  214 ; 

letter  to  Germaine,  332 ;  his  ofiicial 

report  of  the  battle,  378  ;  remarks 

on  his  report,  467. 
Howe,  Lord,  122 ;  his  character,  133  ; 

his  account  of  the  landing,  376. 
Hulett,  see  Hewlett. 
Huntington,  town  of,  94. 
Hutchings,  John,  93. 

Indians,  i67,  168. 

Invasion,  the,  122. 

Jamaica,  meeting  at,  2;  votes 
against  representation  in  Congress, 
30. 

James,  Frank,  60,  63,313. 


542 


INDEX. 


Johnson,  Barent,  116 ;  Hendrick,  339 ; 
Jacques,  335 ;  Gen.  Jeremiah, 
quoted;  109,  108  ;  Col.  Philip,  208. 

Jones,  Thomas,  Judge,  93, 108. 

Kershaw,  Martin,  340. 

Ketcham,  Joshua,  93. 

Kettletas,  Parson,  334. ' 

Kings  county,  hostile  to  revolution, 

12  ;  town  meeting,  13 ;  deputies 

from.  111  ;  militia,  137. 
Kingston    jail,  royalists  confined 

there,  56. 
Kissam,  Benjamin,  report  on  driving 

off  stock,  336  ;  Daniel,  W.,  50,  68, 

320,  329. 

Kni^it,  Charles,  narrative  of  the 
battle,  447. 

LaMBERTSON,  Jacob,  93. 

Landing  of  the  British,  accounts  of 
the,  documents,  372,  et  seq. 

Lasher,  Col.,  23. 

Lawrence,  Abraham,  22. 

Lee,  Charles,  Gen.,  appointed  military 
commandant,  43 ;  his  vigorous 
measures,  45,  et  seq.;  letter  to  Con- 
gress, 47 ;  to  Col.  Sears,  52  ;  his 
retirement  from  command,  58. 

Lefferts,  John,  15,  111  ;  Isaac,  334  ; 
Leflfert,  14,  107 ;  house  burned, 
361. 

Leggett,  Abraham,  Maj.,  his  narra- 
tive, 499. 

Letters  and  depositions  relating  to 
loyalists,  341. 

Lexington,  battle  of,  15. 

Livingston,  John  William,  Jr.,  334. 

Long  Island,  characteristics  of  the 
early  settlers,  1  ;  independence 
first  declared  on,  29 ;  established 
church  on,  74 ;  loyalty  of  the  in- 
habitants, guaranteed  by  Gov.  Try- 
on,  314. 


Loosely,  Charles,  116. 

Lott,  Johannes  E,  15,  111. 

Loudon,  Samuel,  outrage  upon,  57. 

Loyalists,  see  Royalists. 

Loyalty  of  the  inhabitants  of  Long 

Island,  guaranteed  by  Gov.  Tryon, 

314. 

Ludlow,  Gabriel,  329. 
Lynch,  Michael,  96 ;  trial,  99  ;  con- 
victed of  treason,  100. 

McEVERS,  Charles,  334. 

McConn,  William,  93. 

Marauding  by  the  Americans,  Wash- 
ington's letter  relating  to,  366. 

Marblehead  regiment,  270. 

Martin,  James  Sullivan,  extract  from 
his  narrative,  507 ;  Samuel,  95, 334. 

Maryland  Committee  of  Safety  to 
Congress,  403,  404. 

Maryland  regiments,  202, 205  ;  Small- 
wood's  account  of,  386,  404. 

Mary  lander,  extract  from  a  letter  by 
a,  520. 

Massacre  of  the  Continental  troops, 

account  of,  by  a  British  officer,  402. 
Mathews,  David,  mayor  of  New  York, 

95,  97,  101. 
Matter  of  Fact,  extracts  from,  469. 
Mechanics  committee,  53,  54,  58. 
Menzies,  a  dancing  master,  appointed 

adjutant,  261. 
Mifflin,  Gen.,  281. 
Miles,  Col.,  107,  185,  193. 
Militia  enrolled,  73. 
Mill,  Obd.,  334. 
Miller,  Peter,  340. 
Mills,  Hope,  71. 
Minute  men,  29. 
Mitchell,  Thomas,  88. 
Morris,  ,  82 ;  Gouverneur,  letter 

to  Washington,  335. 
Mott,  Jacob,  Capt.,  50. 
Munsell,  Hezekiah,  statement,  501. 
Murray,  Lindley,  21,  75. 


\ 


INDEX. 


543 


Nancy,  Brig.,  incident  concerning, 
126. 

Narratives  by  soldiers  present  in  the 
different  engagements,  and  by  his- 
torians and  others,  see  Documents. 

Neutrality,  of  the  wealthy,  21 ;  not 
permitted,  73. 

New  England  emigration  to  Long 
Island,  1. 

New  levies,  23. 

Newtown,  meetitg  at,  9. 

New  York  city,  influence  of,  14. 

New  York  emigration  to  Long 
Island,  1. 

Night  attacks  on  the  British  by  the 

Americans,  157. 
Non-intercourse  with  recusants,  53. 
Nostrand,  John,  339  ;  Peter,  88. 

Oak  tree,  Dongan,  166. 
Obstructions  placed  in  New  York 

harbor,  125. 
Official  reports,  see  Documents. 
Olney,  Stephen,  Capt.,  narrative,  514. 
Onderdonk,  Henry,  Jr.,  103,  105. 
Order  of  arrest,  88. 
Ordnance  captured  by  the  British, 

return  of,  416. 

Parker,  Capt.,  313. 

Parliamentary  committee  of  inquiry, 
evidence  given  before,  460. 

Parr,  Capt.,  330. 

Parsons,  General,  233. 

Partisan  warfare  and  loyalist  leaders, 
82. 

Party  names,  11. 

Pennsylvania  regiments,  262. 

Pettit,  Benjamin,  93. 

Pierrepont  mansion,  council  of  war 

held,  267. 
Plan  of  attack  formed  by  Sergeant 

Graham,  330. 


Polhemus,  Theodorus,  15,  111. 
Ponkiesberg,  142,  264. 
Popham,  Lt„  179. 
Potter,  Gilbert,  Col.,  119. 
Powels,  George,  340. 
Prisoners,  royalist,  list  of,  93. 
Prisoners  taken  by  the  British  on 

Long  Island,  return  of,  415. 
Prisoners,  treatment  of,  Lieut.  Robert 

Troop's  statement,  419. 
Proclamation  of  congress,  32. 
Proscriptions,  18. 

Pro\incial   congress  called,  15  ; 
scheme  for  seizing  royalists,  321. 

Puritan  and  Hollander  compared,  1. 

Putnam,  Fort,  139. 

Putnam,  Israel,  Gen.,  85;  in  command 
of  the  army,  161, 169  ;  his  charac- 
ter, 221. 

Queens  county,  hostile  to  revo- 
lution, 11-19. 

RaINER,  Elijah,  93  ;  Ezekiel,  93; 
G.  S.,  compiler  of  Collier's  journal, 
407. 

Rapelye,  Abraham,  340;  Ann,  320; 
Daniel,  339 ;  John,  21,  95;  account 
of,  106,  109  ;  Mrs.  John,  endeavors 
to  betray  the  American  army,  276. 

Red  Hook,  141. 

Reed,  Joseph,  Col.,  letter  to,  from 
Washington,  42 ;  his  account  of 
the  battle  and  retreat,  397 . 

Remsen,  Jeremiah,  13  ;  chosen  dele- 
gate, 15,  111 ;  narrative  by,  222  ; 
letter  to  Col.  Sands,  338. 

Reports,  official,  see  Documents. 

Retreat,  the,  259 ;  letters  by  Wash- 
ington, announcing,  383,  385  ;  see 
Documents. 

Return  by  the  British,  of  prisoners 
taken  on  Long  Island,  and  of  their 
own  losses,  415. 


544 


INDEX. 


Review  of  the  War,  extract  from,  415. 
Revolutionary  measures,  resisted,  1  ; 

documents  relating  to,  313,  et  seq. 
Rhode  Island  regiment,  514. 
Rider,  Stephen,  incident  concerning, 

90. 

Rierson,  John,  340. 
Rivington's  Gazette,  quotation  from, 
7. 

Robertson,  General,  314. 
Rockaway  path,  159. 
Rodman,  John,  7. 

Rogers,  Robert,  Maj.,  100 ;  W., letter 
from,  343. 

Roll  of  officers  and  men  on  duty  in 
driving  off  stock  from  Kings  and 
Queens  county,  339. 

Royalists,  resolutions  of  loyalty  to 
to  the  king,  3  ;  arrests  of,  5 ;  pro- 
scribed, 18 ;  resolution  of  Congress 
concerning,  20  ;  Benson's  mission 
and  his  report,  25,  26  ;  proclama- 
tion of  Congress,  32  ;  disarmed  and 
and  arrested,  35-39  ;  expeditions 
against,  41 ;  banished,  46  ;  required 
to  subscribe  to  an  oath,  48  ;  im- 
prisoned in  Kingston  jail,  57 ;  ex- 
pedition against,  58  ;  placed  under 
martial  law,  63 ;  Congress  calls 
for  evidence  against,  67 ;  retalia- 
tion by,  74 ;  whig  cruelties,  79  ; 
plots  of,  82,  86 ;  documents  relat- 
ing to,  314-341. 

SaMMIS,  Nathaniel,  38. 

Sands,  Benjamin,  67 ;  letter  from, 

317 ;  Comfort,  53  ;  John,  88. 
Sandy  Hook,  arrival  of  the  fleet  at, 

332. 

Schenck,  Stephen,  340. 
Schuyler,  General,  42. 
Scott,  John  Morin,  82,  88  ;  letter 

from,  343. 
Sears,  Isaac,  Lt.  Col.,  47;  et  seq.; 

letter  by,  49. 


Sebring,  Isaac,  340  ;  Jacob,  340  ;  Jo- 
seph, 340. 
Setauket,  28. 

Seymour,  Thomas,  Col.,  230. 

Shaw,  Samuel,  extract  from  journal 
of,  141. 

Simonson,  ,  86. 

Skinner,  Abraham,  24. 

Skirmishes  preceding  the  battle,  see 
Documents. 

Smallwood,  W.,  Col.,  his  narrative, 
386.  t 

Smith,  Benjamin,  334;  Daniel,  93; 
George,  91 ;  Isaac,  329 ;  James, 
328 ;  Joseph,  340  ;  Melancton,  346  ; 
Nathan,  93  ;  Othniel,  2  ;  Samuel, 
334 ;  Thomas,  6, 334 ;  Timothy,  41, 
68  ;  Waters,  334 ;  William,  326. 

Snediker,  Isaac,  340. 

SoUen,  Andrew,  93. 

Stedman,  C,  account  of  the  landing, 
454. 

Stiles,  Ezra,  Rev.,  extracts  from  his 
diary,  480. 

Stillwell,  Richard,  15,  111, 

Stirling,  Fort,  143. 

Stirling,  Lord,  52,  169,  170,  199 ;  let- 
ter to  Col.  Ward,  313  ;  letter  to 
Washington,  giving  an  account  of 
his  capture,  395. 

Stock  driven  off,  336-339. 

Stocker,  Henry,  320. 

Storrs,  Rev.  Richard  S.,  Jr.,  D.D.,  ix. 

Sturges,  Jonathan,  83. 

Suffolk  coimty,  republican,  136. 

Sullivan,  General,  his  illness,  161, 
192 ;  his  account  of  the  skirmish 
at  Flatbush,  361  ;  report  of  the 
battle  of  Valley  Grove,  369. 

Suydam,  Hendrick,  339 ;  Jacob,  340 ; 
Lambert,  118 ;  his  report  of  loyalist 
prisoners,  338,  339  ;  Reyner,  340. 

TaLMAN,  John,  7. 
Tea,  18. 


INDEX. 


545 


Tendency  toward  revolution  as  af- 
fected by  national  and  social  clia- 
racteristics,  1. 

Testimony  before  parliament  con- 
cerning .the  battle  of  Long  Island, 
460. 

Thomas,  John,  Jr.,  depositions  by, 

341,  342. 
Thome,  Richard,  320. 
Thimder  storm,   great,   151  ;  Maj. 

Abner  Benedict's  account  of,  349  ; 

other  accounts,  372,  3T4. 
Tilghman,  Mathew,  391 . 
Tories,  see  Royalists. 
Townsend,  Samuel,  5,  93. 
Trial  of  Hickey  and  Lynch,  99. 
Troop,  John,  334. 

Troup,  Robert,  Lt.,  309,  his  affidavit, 
419. 

Tryon,  William,  Gov.  extract  from 
letter  to  Dartmouth,  31  ;  his  mea- 
sures, 45  ;  he  guarantees  the  loyal- 
ty of  Long  Island,  314 ;  his  reply 
to  the  address  of  welcome,  347. 

Turhune,  Roelof,  340. 

Udell,  see  Woodhull. 
Upham,  Col.,  105. 

Van  BRUNT,  Rutgert,  111,  113, 
340. 

Van  Cortlandt,  Pierre,  34G. 

Van  Dam,  Nicholas,  340. 

Vanderbilt,  Jeremiah,  111,  113  ;  John, 

.   15,  111,  113. 

Vanderveer,  John,  340. 

Vandervoort,  Pfeter,  339. 

Van  Raust,  Capt.,  115. 

Valley  Grove,  battle  of,  165,  170 ; 

Sullivan's  account  of,  369. 
Vechte,  Nicholas,  206. 
Vermont  Chronicle,  recollections  of 

the  revolution,  from,  503. 

69 


WaLDRON,  Adolph,  116. 

Wallace,  Alexander,  334. 

Ward,  Col.,  44,  59,  62. 

Washington,  George,  General,  ho 
urges  vigorous  measures  against 
royalists,  42,  43,  63,  82,  85,  89; 
plot  to  capture  him,  96 ;  appeal  to 
the  army,  168 ;  his  anguish  on 
witnessing  the  repulse  and  mas- 
sacre of  the  Maryland  regiments, 
202  ;  he  addresses  the  troops,  219  ; 
his  disgust  with  the  Connecticut 
regiments,  229  ;  his  conduct  of  the 
retreat,  279  ;  letter  of  instructions 
to  Putnam,  regarding  the  loyalists, 
321 ;  letter  to  congress,  transmit- 
.  ting  Sullivan's  report,  362 ;  ac- 
count of  the  skirmish  at  Flatbush, 
363  ;  letter  to  Putnam  condemning 
marauding  by  the  Americans,  366  ; 
announcement  of  the  landing  of 
the  British,  374  ;  letters  announc- 
ing the  retreat,  383,  385,  531. 

Weeke,  George,  5. 

Weeks,  Townsend,  93. 

Wheeler,  Peter,  93. 

Whig  politicians  of  1775,  7  ;  whig 
cruelties,  35,  78. 

Whitehead,  Benjamin,  Capt.,  329, 
334. 

Willett,  Mariuus,  Capt.,  98. 
Willetts,  Thomas,  71. 
Williams,  Henry,  14,  15,  111 ;  Tho- 
mas, 320  ;  Zebulon,  6. 
Wood,  Silas,  quoted,  295. 
Wooden  guns,  63. 

Woodhull,  Nathaniel,  General,  his 

ser%'ices  and  character,  288,  et  seq. ; 

his  capture  and  murder,  304 ;  Col. 

Troup's  affidavit  concerning,  422. 

Wooley,  ,  70. 

Wright,  Jacob,  Capt.,  271,  334. 
Wyckoff,    Hendrick,    340,  Peter, 

339. 


LIST  AND  DESCRIPTION 


OF 


THE  PLANS  AND  PLATES. 


PLAN  I. 

This  plan,  tlie  work  of  a  Hessian  oflicer,  was  drawn  shortly  after  the 
occurrence  of  the  battle.  The  manuscript  was  procured  from  a  gentleman 
in  Brunswick,  Germany,  who  obtained  it  from  a  source  which  gTiarantees 
its  authenticity.  It  is  now  published  for  the  first  time-  The  following  is  a 
translation  of  the  table  of  description. 

Plan  of  the  Redoubts  and  lines  which  the  rebels  had  erected  near  Brook- 
land  ;  of  others  on  Eedhook  and  Grovemor's  Island ;  of  their  camps  occupied  by  the 
rebel  and  English  armies  after  the  aflfair  at  Flatbush,  and  that  occupied  by  Gen. 
DeHeister  on  the  Slst  of  August,  1776. 

A.  Camp  of  the  Enemy  ( i.  e.  the  Americans ). 

B.  Redoubts  and  lines  of  the  Enemy  before  Brookland. 

C.  Part  of  the  Abatis ;  forest  cut  down. 

D.  Redoubt  on  Redhook. 

E.  Fort  Stirling. 

F.  Unfinished  Redoubt. 

G.  The  Camp  occupied  by  the  English  Army  after  the  aflfair  of  Flatbush. 

H.  The  Camp  occupied  by  General  DeHeister  on  the  Slst  of  August. 

J.  Batteries  established  by  the  English  near  Rem  Remsen's  mill,  each  of 
two  twelve-pound  guns  and  two  mortars. 
K.  Brookland  (junction  of  Gowanus,  Flatbush  and  Jamaica  Roads). 
L,  Brookland  Ferry. 
M.  Bedford. 

The  topographical  outlines  of  the  plan  were  taken  from  the  Ratzer  Map, 
to  which  the  military  details  were  added  at  some  period  subsequent  to 
the  battle.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  line  of  American  entrenchments 
as  given  by  the  Hessian  oflB.cer,  do  not  correspond  entirely  with  those  upon 
the  plan  compiled  for  this  work.  On  .a  plan  drawn  upon  a  scale  so  small, 
but  few  of  the  details  of  the  various  positions  could  be  given.  The  general 
line  of  fortification  is  the  same  in  each  plaji,  but  in  the  larger  one,  the 
natural  defensible  line  has  been  followed,  as  nearly  as  it  could  be  authen- 
ticated by  documentary  and  traditional  evidence. 


648 


LIST  OF  PLANS  AND  PLATES, 


PLAN  IL 

Tliis  plan  of  the  positions  of  the  British  and  American  armies,  and  the 
redoubts  and  lines  of  fortification,  is  compiled  from  the  most  authentic 
sources  of  information  available.  The  routes  of  the  British  were  generally 
over  country  roads  long  since  abandoned  and  now  covered  with  buildings, 
but  their  localities  were  accurately  surveyed  by  the  author  before  their 
traces  were  lost. 

PLATE  I.  SITE  OF  THE  ASSAULT  ON  THE  BATTERY  AT  THE 
CORTELYOU  HOUSE. 

This  view  covers  the  site  of  the  last  heroic  struggle  of  the  Maryland 
battalion,  commanded  by  Lord  Stirling  in  person.  On  the  extreme 
left  is  the  Schoonmaker  house,  in  front  of  which  the  Gowanus  road 
passes,  curving  abruptly  at  the  distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
towards  the  Cortelyou  house,  which  stood  about  two  hundred  yards  to  the 
northeast  of  the  angle,  on  the  same  road.  The  salt  meadow  bordering 
Gowanus  creek  and  the  mill  ponds,  extended  almost  to  the  verge  of  the 
road,  which  curved  as  represented  in  t^ie  plate,  to  avoid  it.  It  was  doubt- 
less under  the  protection  of  the  angle  in  the  road  and  the  stone  walls 
bordering  it,  that  the  Marylanders  rallied  so  often  to  protect  the  retreat  of 
their  fugitive  countrymen.  On  the  hill  bounding  the  horizon,  in  the  centre 
of  the  plate,  was  situated  Fort  Putnam^  now  called  Fort  Greene. 

II.  FREEKE'S  MILL-POND  AND  FORT  BOX. 

View  of  the  Yellow  mills,  known  in  later  years  as  Freeke's  mills. 
The  point  of  view  is  from  the  high  ground  near  the  crossing  of  First 
street  and  Third  avenue.  It  was  to  this  point  that  the  port  road  led, 
and  curved  abruptly  to  cross  the  mill  dam.  The  redoubt  on  the  westerly 
side  of  the  dam  occupies  a  site  known  as  Fort  Lawrence  or  Fort  Boerum, 
having  been  so  styled  during  the  war  of  1812.  Natural  lines  of  defense  are 
perpetual,  and  the  positions  adopted  in  the  latter  period,  would'doubtless 
represent  those  of  the  revolution.  In  1812,  Gen.  Swift,  in  almost  every 
instance,  adopted  the  lines  of  Gen.  Lee.  The  Yellow  mills  were  burned  by 
Col.  Ward  to  protect  his  own  retreat,  and  by  this  dastardly  act  the  survivors 
of  the  Maryland  battalion  were  left  to  their  fate. 

III.  VIEW  OF  BLUCKIE'S  BARRACKS. 
Bluckie's  Barracks  was  a  knoll  around  which  the  Gowanus  road  curved 
near  the  house  of  Wynant  Bennet  at  the  foot  of  24th  street.    The  road 
in  view,  at  the  extreme  right  of  the  picture,  is  in  the  vicinity  of  20th  street 


LIST  OF  PLANS  AND  PLATES. 


549 


and  Third  avenue.  The  creek  and  swampy  intervale  extending  across  the 
centre  of  the  view,  almost  shut  off  access  to  the  knoll  on  the  land-side, 
except  by  the  bridge  near  the  house,  and  a  narrow  causeway  on  the  south. 

IV.  NEW  UTRECHT  CHURCH  AND  De  SILLE  HOUSE. 

The  view  of  the  church  is  taken  from  an  original  drawing  by  Benj.  J. 
Lossing,  Esq.,  in  the  possession  of  Henry  Onderdonk,  Jr.,  of  Jamaica.  The  • 
DeSille  house  is  also  copied  from  a  drawing  belonging  to  the  Long  Island 
Historical  Society.  The  relative  position  of  the  two  edifices  is  established 
by  a  topographical  plan  of  their  sites,  made  by  Mr.  Teunis  G.  Bergen,  of  New 
Utrecht.  It  was  to  the  house  on  the  left,  built  in  1658  by  Nicasius  DeSille, 
that  the  dying  Gen.  Woodhull  was  brought,  nearly  ten  days  after  the  battle, 
and  here  he  expired.  The  quaint  Dutch  church  was  at  the  same  time 
crowded  yvith.  American  prisoners. 

V.  REDOUBT  ON  PONKIESBERG. 
View  of  redoubt  on  Ponkiesberg  —  the  Dutch  name.  This  knoll  was 
about  sixty  feet  higher  than  the  present  grade  of  the  site,  and  so  steep  on 
three  sides  as  to  make  the  ascent  attended  with  some  difficulty.  It  was 
known  as  Cobble  Hill  in  latter  years,  and  in  1813  a  redoubt  was  constructed 
upon  it  known  as  Fort  Swift. 


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